Added on June 10, 2019 Sara Swanson

June 2019 gardening advice

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by Jennifer Fairfield, Garden Mill

Have you seen any of the predictions for our summer? Do the weather people drive you as nuts as they do me?! We have Mark Torregrossa at MLive saying he thinks it’s going to be cooler than usual this summer (based on historical weather patterns after high ice coverage on the Great Lakes), but the people at the National Weather Service say “overall, summer is expected to feature slightly wetter-than normal and slightly warmer-than normal conditions.” Who do we believe? I guess it doesn’t matter – we’re going to get what we get, and there doesn’t seem to be anything we can do about it.

The main thing that is upsetting me is that I have not been able to get out into my garden the last few days – you know, pretty much the only days it hasn’t rained in the last month! I have been longingly looking out at the breezy sunshine, thinking about how much I need to get done, and then rolling over and going back to sleep. Needless to say, my veggie garden is waayyy behind.

I have a lot of catching up to do in my gardens and yard. In the meantime, here are some things you can be doing.

In the veggie garden:

If you haven’t gotten all of your veggies planted yet, get them in as soon as you can. We have a short growing season, and many of the things we all love to grow – tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, etc. – all need long growing periods to produce a good crop. So the sooner you can get them planted, the better. When you do transplant, be sure to mulch around the plants and put any supports in that they will need for later growth. Waiting until the plants are already growing can mean causing damage to the roots when you try to get supports in later.
Plant seeds of carrots, bush beans, dill, and cilantro every week or two through about mid-July. This way, you can be sure to have a continuous harvest throughout the season. Be sure to read the package information about how long each variety you are planting needs to mature. Figuring that our first frost usually hits around October 15, you can determine how late you can plant things and still hope to get a good harvest, by counting backwards from there.
Be sure to immediately and thoroughly water anything you plant, and make sure the soil is kept moist where you sow seeds. Newly transplanted plants aren’t as efficient at taking up water as those that have been in the ground for a time, and can easily get dried out. Seeds also need moisture in order to germinate, so be sure to give the whole garden a good drink whenever we aren’t getting sufficient rain.
I can’t stress enough how important it is to start spraying tomatoes, cucumbers, and squash with an organic fungicide as soon as you get the plants in the ground – and continue to do so on a regular basis throughout the season (usually weekly). The last couple of years, we have had lots of disease pressure, including spot blight, powdery mildew, and downy mildew, which can only be prevented, not cured. Spraying on a weekly basis can help prevent the diseases from getting started, as can making sure to space your plants properly. Good airflow through the garden helps things dry out in between rains, which helps keep spores from growing. If you’re not sure what sort of fungicide to use on your plants, come talk to me – I’m happy to make recommendations.
Weeding is also an important part of keeping your plants healthy and producing, even if it’s not everyone’s favorite chore. Weeds compete for water and nutrients, and they can also be disease carriers. Doing a little weeding every time you’re in the garden can make it seem a little less tedious, and getting weeds before they get too big is so much easier than waiting until they have dug their roots in deep.

In the flower garden:

You can still direct-sow lots of annual flower seeds, and expect to get blooms this year. Some to consider include cosmos, four o’clocks, marigolds, nasturtiums, sunflowers, and zinnias.
Plant summer-blooming bulbs now if you haven’t already. This includes dahlias, gladiolus, lilies, begonias and canna lilies.
Wait to trim back the foliage of your spring blooming bulbs, such as daffodils, tulips, and alliums, until the foliage has died completely. Although you may be tempted to trim them sooner to tidy up, doing that task before the leaves have died back completely can lead to a lack of blooms next year.
Early June is prime planting time for perennials and annuals, but be sure to water them in well when you plant them, and keep them well-watered throughout the season. Perennials will be spending the summer putting out lots of roots so that they can be well-established when winter hits. Those roots need good watering in order to grow well, and new roots aren’t as efficient at taking up water as established roots. Annuals, on the other hand, will spend the season putting out flowers – they know they won’t make it past this season, so they concentrate on creating seeds, which generally come from flowers. Keep spent flowers deadheaded, and your annuals will just keep on producing more flowers in an attempt to produce seeds. Just remember that all that flower production needs water.
Annuals also need to be fertilized regularly throughout the season. Producing flowers takes a lot of energy, which uses up a lot of nutrients. Perennials generally only need one application of fertilizer each spring. For both types, a low-nitrogen, high-phosphorus fertilizer is best. Too much nitrogen can produce lots of foliage, but not a lot of flowers, and can cause some plants to get leggy and flop over.
The secret to keeping your container plantings blooming all summer long is also to keep them fed and watered. As containers fill up with roots, they don’t hold water very well, so be sure to check their moisture levels daily. And, since the plants are in a container, they can’t get their nutrients from the soil around them, unless you provide it. Just be careful not to over-water or over-fertilize, especially with chemical fertilizers. Too much of a chemical fertilizer can “burn” your plants – a sure way to kill them. Too much water will drown them – also a sure way to kill them. Always check manufacturer’s directions for how and how often to fertilize. And always check the soil in your containers before watering. If the top of the soil feels damp, wait a bit to water – just don’t wait until they are totally dried out. Letting plants dry out completely in between watering can stress them.
I’m already seeing some pests in my gardens, especially aphids. Aphid damage is often seen as curling and distortion on stem tips, leaves, and buds. While most healthy, mature plants can easily withstand a few of them, the biggest problem with aphids is that they reproduce like crazy, and they really like tender, new growth. So the key to keeping them from causing permanent damage is to keep a close eye out for them and get them before there are so many that they overwhelm your plants. Be sure to identify who is doing the damage before you reach for the insecticide though – different pests respond to different treatments. Also be careful about how and when you apply any insecticides – organic or conventional. All insecticides have the potential to kill bees, and we all know that we can’t afford to lose any more bees! The best thing to do, other than not using any insecticides at all, is to target your use (only spray directly where you need to, rather than broadcast spraying), and do it in the early morning, or around sunset, when the bees are generally not active. Using organic insecticides is always best, as they do not persist as long on plants, reducing the chance of contact with bees, when applied at the ideal times of day.
Set your indoor plants outside for the summer, but make sure that they will be protected from winds, and give them some shade so they don’t get scorched by the direct sun. Keep in mind that they will dry out more quickly outdoors than in, so be sure to increase your watering schedule, and fertilize them to really help them take advantage of the growing season.

Trees and shrubs:

Prune back early-blooming shrubs (those that were finished blooming before the end of May) this month. This will encourage new growth and more flowers next spring. If you’re not sure about how or when to prune your shrubs, Clemson University’s Cooperative Extension offers good advice here.
Most tree pruning should be done in the dead of winter, but prune damaged or dead branches on trees any time. Clemson University also has a page with information on pruning trees here.
Don’t “seal” pruning wounds when you prune trees. The old way of thinking was that you needed to, in order to keep diseases from setting in. New information has shown that it isn’t effective, and can actually cause more problems by keeping the area moist. The only time sealing is recommended now is if you prune an oak tree any time other than in the dead of winter. The reason for this is that the flowing sap of a freshly cut oak can attract insects that carry oak wilt disease, which is deadly to the tree.
You can pinch back evergreens once they have put out new growth. Pinching the new “candles” back by half will encourage them to bush out. But don’t cut into old wood, as most evergreens won’t produce new shoots from old growth. For more details on how to prune specific evergreens, check out the University of Wisconsin’s Extension Service page on the subject.
It’s not too late to plant new trees and shrubs, but sooner is better – just be very vigilant about keeping them watered all the way through until the ground is frozen in the winter to give them the best chance at surviving both the dry heat of summer and the dry cold of winter.
Be sure your trees and shrubs have a good layer of mulch over their roots to keep them evenly moist and to prevent weeds. Mulch should extend out to the tree’s dripline (the circumference of the tree’s canopy), but not be placed right up against the trunk. Mulch should also not be piled up in a “volcano” around the tree. This is counter-productive, in that it encourages rainwater to run off and away from the tree’s roots, rather than down into them, and can actually lead to premature death of your trees. Need more information on proper mulching technique? Penn State University’s Extension has all the details.
Water trees and shrubs if we aren’t getting sufficient rain. Newly planted trees and shrubs should be carefully watered for the same reason newly planted flowers need to be – they aren’t as good at taking up water while the roots are getting established. But be careful about how you water any tree or shrub. Water infrequently, but deeply. You want to encourage the roots to grow deeply, which won’t happen with frequent, shallow watering. Additionally, shallow, frequent watering can cause your plants to suffocate and slowly die.

For the Birds:

When you are out in your yard, keep an eye out for things like killdeer nests (they build their nests on the ground), and be careful to keep activity away from them as much as possible. Also watch out for baby birds that have left the nest but not yet mastered flight. They probably don’t need your help, unless they are somewhere where they might be in danger, like in the road, but do watch for them as you go about your yard to be sure that you aren’t putting them in danger with things like power equipment. If you’re not sure whether or how to help a baby bird you find out of its nest, Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology can help.
Clean out and refill hummingbird and oriole feeders regularly. Sugar-water left out in the hot sun can quickly spoil, and become bacteria-filled. If it’s really hot, empty, clean, and refill the feeders every few days, but no less frequently than weekly.
Remember to clean out and fill your bird baths regularly. Bird baths provide your birds with a place to get a drink or a good bath, and provide you with lots of entertainment, as you watch them playing in the water. Just be sure that you are giving them clean water each day.