01/06/2009

June

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June is when your garden is brimming full of flowers and foliage. Flower and vegetable beds should be lush and green with new growth, whilst the lawn growth rate has peaked and should be a solid mat of green.

This is a busy month in the garden with general garden maintenance taking up most of your time. Watering seedlings in the early morning and late evening should give you the opportunity to spot possible problems as they develop. Watch out for the start of any diseases or infestations and get them early before they get out of hand.

Tasks
• Hoe weeds regularly
• Thin out seedlings
• Plant later season crops under glass
• Water salad crops regularly
• Feed crops with a liquid manure
• Pick peas to encourage more flowers
• Harvest early potatoes

Watering

In hot weather the single most important thing you can do in the garden is keep the plants well watered. This is even more critical in the vegetable plot. The key is to water early in the morning, or late in the evening. Do not water in the middle of the day in direct sunlight. Also remember to give the plants a good soaking at the roots and not just a dribble over the leaves. For more info see the Watering guide .

Plant out

Greenhouse raised Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Celery, Courgette's, Cucumbers, Marrows, Runner and French Beans. Beetroot, Carrots and Lettuce rows can be thinned out and further sowings can be continued.

Thinning

Remember smaller crops will be produced when over-crowded sowings are made, and any wanted seedlings should be carefully removed. Protect Carrots from carrot fly and Cabbages from caterpillar damage by covering the crop with Enviromesh. To improve pollination for greenhouse Tomatoes just tap the flowers.

• Tasks Cut back excessive growth
• Water soft fruit regularly
• Prepare netting for trees
• Check for parasites on trees

Pest alert Inspect fruit bushes and trees for pest and diseases, and treat as necessary. As new canes of Raspberries and Blackberries appear tie to support wires, but remember to keep them away from last year’s growth as this will flower and fruit this summer. It is a good idea to drape netting over soft fruit bushes such as currants, as well as strawberries which are either growing in rows or containers, to prevent birds, especially Blackbirds, from stripping unprotected plants of their fruit.

Cockchafer The Cockchafer (right) as an adult feeds on flowers and leaves, This large beetle can be up to 35mm long and can consume large quantities of leaves. The Larva also cause damage to roots of grasses, herbaceous plants and trees. The best method of controlling this pest is to use a nematode (Heterorhabditis megidis) which is watered into lawns or flower beds in August or September. This nematode attacks the Cockchafer Larva and breeds inside it's victim, then it moves on in search of it's next meal.

June Drop Apple trees are likely to drop large numbers of excess fruit around now, this is known as the 'June Drop', and is natures way of thinning out the crop.