This month we celebrate the official start of summer (21st June), and with daylight hours at their longest, gardens will be putting on an exuberant burst of growth and flower.
It’s the time to enjoy your earlier efforts in spring, get outside and find time to relax outdoors – enjoying your garden’s rich tapestry of colour and fragrance.
Whatever your style of garden, from terraces to cottage gardens and greenhouses, the experts at Dobbies have made it super simple with a list of top tasks for the month ahead.
Not your average garden centre, Dobbies is on a mission to help customers grow greener with new peat-free products available in store. Just landed is Bloomin Amazing™ soil enricher, which is a no-dig, peat-free mulch, easy feed and soil conditioner all in one. Produced in the Dorset countryside, organic and with a minimum carbon footprint, the arrival is timely, given mulch is recommended this month to help keep weeds at bay.
Horticultural Director at Dobbies, Marcus Eyles said: “After the unpredictable spring weather, making the most of the sunshine in the garden this month is a top priority. You may find that some young plants quickly burst into growth with the change in temperature and more growth means extra TLC to keep gardens tended to and looking their best. If you haven’t already, there is no better time to go greener, with a wide range of sustainable gardening essentials available in store that are kind for plants, and the planet.”
Marcus continued: “Whether your patio needs some ready to go colour, or you’re planning some more time down on the allotment, there’s plenty to be getting on with this month to keep plants and gardens looking their best to create your very own piece of paradise.”
What to do in the garden this month, Marcus provides his top tasks for the month ahead…
Terrace Garden
- June is the perfect month to fill your patio containers, hanging baskets and window boxes with vibrant bedding plants. At Dobbies, our bedding plants – selected for their excellent garden performance and floriferous display – are guaranteed to fill your garden with high summer colour.
- For a more permanent container plant consider Japanese Acers in their beautiful foliage colours for an oriental look or topiary Buxus clipped into balls and pyramids. Hydrangeas offer large flower heads which hold their own well into the autumn, or Cordyline with its bold architectural form and eye-catching foliage.
- Bedding plants raised from seed, or at the young plant stage, can be planted out now, if you haven’t done so already, as can more tropical feature plants such as Canna and ornamental bananas.
- Water all plants grown in containers regularly during the summer months, adding liquid fertiliser every fortnight for healthy growth.
Beds & Borders
- Keep weeds in check by hoeing them before they get the chance to establish. Apply a thick layer of mulch, such as Bloomin Amazing or farmyard manure, over the soil surface to keep weeds further at bay.
- Prune spring flowering shrubs, such as Deutzia and Weigela soon after flowering has faded to prevent them becoming overgrown. Remove spent branches with secateurs or loppers to allow new growth to develop as this will carry next spring’s display.
- Trim Buxus and evergreen hedges but remember to check for nesting birds and, if necessary, wait for late fledglings to fly.
- Spring flowering annuals, such as forget-me-nots, will have faded now and should be lifted to make way for later summer plantings. Fill gaps with fast growing high summer bedding plants such as Dahlia, Cosmos and Nicotiana.
- Water newly planted shrubs and perennials in dry periods, mulching well to help retain moisture.
Cottage Garden
- In June, the cottage garden border is full of exuberant growth and colour. Make sure plant supports are in place and they’ll soon be disguised by fresh new growth.
- Take action to protect susceptible lush foliage of prized herbaceous plants, such as Delphinium and Hosta, from slug damage.
- Early season herbaceous plants, such as Hardy Geranium and Oriental Poppies can be cut back after flowering to encourage re-growth of tidy, fresh new foliage. Hardy Geraniums will often put on a second, late season flower display. Mulch and feed for an extra boost.
- Clematis montana can be cut back after flowering to control growth if required. Also, tie in new growth on summer flowering Clematis and Honeysuckle.
- Dead-head roses to encourage repeat flowering. Feed them with rose fertiliser and add a layer of mulch for an extra boost to support strong growth and a floriferous display. Roses are at their peak in June, making it the perfect time to choose new varieties to add to your summer display.
- Sweet Peas are growing strongly now. Use garden twine to tie-in growths to their supports. Once established, they will climb happily by themselves.
- Thin out seedlings of hardy annuals sown directly into the soil, allowing each plant room to develop to its full potential.
Kitchen Garden
- Continue to earth up potatoes, to avoid tubers being exposed to the light and turning green. Early potatoes will be ready for harvesting soon, maturing around 10 weeks from planting.
- Plant out courgette and squash plants once all risk of frost has passed.
- Pinch out the side shoots of taller tomato varieties to concentrate energy into fruit formation. Smaller bush and trailing varieties are fine left to grow without pruning. Once the first trusses start to set fruit, begin feeding weekly with tomato fertiliser.
- Re-sow salads every 10 to 14 days for a constant supply of fresh leaves. Or, if you prefer, at Dobbies we have a wide range of young vegetable plants available in-store for quicker results.
- Finish harvesting Asparagus spears this month. Continue to pull Rhubarb stems regularly, stopping later in July to allow plants to build up their strength for next year.
- Protect soft fruit from opportunistic birds. Spread nets over soft fruit bushes and use Slug Gone around Strawberries to protect from slugs.
Lawn
- For a manicured lawn look, then weekly mowing is best, reducing the cutting height now that the grass is growing more strongly. To encourage more garden wildlife, allow your grass to grow and the wildflowers will bloom to support pollinating insects.
- For a lovely, lush green lawn, apply a high nitrogen summer feed.
Greenhouse
- Apply shading to greenhouses to prevent over-heating or scorching of tender plants and keep them well ventilated on hot sunny days.
- Acclimatise bedding plants, grown from seed or at the young plant stage, over a period of 7 to 10 days before planting out.
Conservatory Garden
- Citrus and some larger foliage plants such as Yucca can be moved outside for the summer once all risk of frost has passed.
- Repot houseplants showing signs of being rootbound. Top dress with fresh compost and feed regularly now for healthy, happy plants.
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To find out more about seasonal gardening advice, visit: www.dobbies.com/ideas-advice
Listen to the Dobbies gardening podcast for more expert advice and trend insights, available on Apple Music and Spotify: www.dobbies.com/content/podcast.html
For information on virtual events hosted by Marcus Eyles, with his gardening tips and advice, visit: www.dobbies.com/content/events.html