Garden Hints for June
I hope
that anyone who wanted to see my garden hints for June has managed to find them
ok I am getting rather past it for the modern way but I just keep my fingers
crossed.
When I
started as a garden boy the Headman gave me a diary in which I was to write
down everything I did. He did explain that it would not be there to tell me
what to do any particular day, but would give me guidance as to the order in
which to do things.
Vegetables
Make sure
that your potatoes have been well earthed up so as to avoid those close to the
surface going green. Runner and French beans can be planted along with sweet
corn and any other plants that you have started in the greenhouse such as marrows
and cucumbers. When hoeing around carrots if you can move some soil to cover
the tops it will help avoid the green top that often occurs. Some early crops
of broad beans, lettuce and such can be harvested; if the tips are removed with
broad beans this can help clear small attacks of black fly.
If you are
growing tomatoes in grow bags do be careful with the watering as it is easy to
keep them too wet or too dry and irregular watering is often the cause of blossom ends rot when you get a hard black
part where the flower was on the fruit.
The late
frost in April may have damaged the foliage of your potatoes but hopefully by
now they have recovered. If your garden or allotment is close to your house you
can reduce any damage by spraying with cold water but it must be from a tub not
from an inside tap.
Flowers
Annuals
that were sown where they are to flower will need thinning to get the best from
them. Any plants growing in containers or baskets will need careful watering
and if you have not used slow release fertilizers will also need feeding.
Once sweet
peas come into bloom they need to be picked as soon as they are out so as not
to put a strain on the plant and stop other flowers forming.
Roses can
benefit from a feed of high potash food which can be hoed into the surface. The
foliage should be left as long as possible on spring flowering bulbs such as
daffodils so as to build up the bulbs for next year. Please try and avoid tying
the foliage in knots as this defeats the purpose for which nature put it there.
Sweet peas
need to be kept cut so that seed does not form and stop the flowering, if you
are growing them as cordons they will need frequent tying and tendrils
removed.
Lawns
Regular
mowing with the blades not too low during May and June will give a good base to
the lawn, a light feed of lawn fertilizer will keep the grass growing and help
against moss. Do not however apply this in dry hot weather as you can burn the
grass.
ts for June
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