General Gardening Tips

• June is a great time to plant! Plants and trees that provide color in the month of June include Azaleas, Hydrangeas, Rhododendrons, Spireas, Butterfly Bush, Mock Orange and Golden Rain Tree. Visit the nursery and see these beautiful plants in bloom.

• It's a great time to plant annuals, perennials and all trees and shrubs. Nurseries have many beautiful annuals to choose from, including Geraniums, Impatiens, Marigolds, Petunias, Vinca, Salvia and many other plants. Perennials that provide interest in the month of June include Daylilies, Astilbe, Rudbeckia, Yarrow, Foxgolve and much more.

• We recommend fertilizing annuals, perennials and flowering shrubs and trees with a slow-release plant food that contains nitrogen, sulfate of potash, iron and other micro-nutrients for overall plant growth and development.

• We recommend feeding all your evergreens (Hollies, Boxwoods and Yews) and deciduous trees (Maples, Oaks and Ash) with tree & shrub food.

• Check all plants, especially newly planted ones, for water on a regular basis. Water deeply and thoroughly as needed.

• Gator bags provide a great way to keep trees watered during hot and dry months. These bags, which can hold up to 20 gallons of water, are secured to the trunk of the tree, where they release the water slowly to the root ball over the course of 15-20 hours.

• Now is a great time to install a water garden. Water features will allow you to enjoy the soothing sights and sounds of water.

• Spruce up your summer landscape with beautiful color in containers. Be sure to use potting mix when planting and a water-grabbing polymer such as Soil Moist to reduce the frequency of watering.

Pest Control

• Various pest problems can occur in May. If you have plants that you suspect may be facing a pest problem, bring in a representative sample to your local county agricultural extension agent and they will help diagnose the problem and recommend the appropriate control.

• Fruit trees should be on a regular spray program. See your local extension website for tree spray program bulletin.

Be on the lookout for these pests:

• Bagworms

• Borers

• Gypsy Moths

• Lacebugs

• Scale

• Spider Mites

• Hemlock Woolly Adelgid

• Caterpillars

• Japanese Beetles

• And more

Fruit and Vegetable Gardens

• It's a great time to plant apple, pear, peach and all other fruit trees. Fruit trees require two different varieties to pollinate properly. Be aware of this and ask a nursery professionals to guide you in selecting varieties.

• You can also plant vegetables in containers and grow them on decks, patios or other small spaces. Use potting mix when planting.

• Fruit trees need to be sprayed on a regular schedule, although you do not spray your fruit trees when the blossoms are wide open.

• It's a great time to plant strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries.

• Fertilize fruits and vegetables with a good quality, slow-release vegetable food such as Osmocote.

• Time to stake tomatoes and spray them if necessary to prevent disease problems.

Lawns

• To prevent the summer crop of crabgrass, apply a second application of pre-emergent crabgrass control such as TEAM (if you have not seeded the lawn recently) or Tupersan (if you did seed the lawn recently). Note - if you applied barricade earlier this spring, you do not need a summer application of crabgrass control.

• June is the time to apply a fungicide to the lawn to control turf diseases such as brown patch, dollar spot and others. Use Bayleton or Daconil.

• Apply Perk-Up to the lawn to keep it nice and green throughout the summer months. This product contains 10% iron, which gives added color without excessive growth.

• Fertilize zoysia lawns now with fertilizer.  

• If needed, apply a weed control to the lawn to kill actively growing weeds. Use Ortho Weed B Gone.

Tips on applying weed killer:

• Do not apply weed controls on newly seeded areas.

• Do not apply weed controls on windy days.

• Do not apply weed controls near or on the edge of waterways.

• Do not allow children or pets to play on lawns freshly applied with weed controls. It is best to wait one week.

• Do not apply weed controls when temperatures are above 85 degrees F.

• Always follow the label directions.

House Plants

• You can move houseplants outside to the deck or patio and enjoy them outdoors for the summer. It is best to gradually introduce them to more direct sunlight to prevent the leaves from being burned.

• Feed houseplants with a good quality indoor plant food such Osmocote (slow-release granular).

• If needed, re-pot root bound houseplants to a larger pot. Use potting mix when repotting houseplants.
   

Hibiscus, Jasmine, Oleander and Mandevilla are just some of the flowering tropical plants you can add to your deck, patio or balcony.