It’s official! Summer is here. Now’s the time to really enjoy the fruits of your labours – the winter planning, preparation and pruning, the spring planting and feeding have all been worth it. So stand back and take time to appreciate what you have. Your plants will be in full swing, growing at speed – and so will the weeds, so don’t let them take over.
So here are our tips for getting the most out of your garden in June:
- I know I keep going on about it, but the most common cause of plant failure is lack of water. After a good soaking apply a thick layer of mulch to keep the moisture in and prevent the soil from drying out. But remember, the more nutrients in the mulch, the more the weeds will like it too!
- If you have a pond, now’s a good time to thin out your aquatic plants. It’s also the best time of year to introduce fish to your pond – they’ll do a great job to keep the weed down, but choose carefully as they can quickly outgrow a small pond. With lots of wildlife attracted to water, your pond can quickly become the centre of attention so make sure it is clean and clear of blanket weed and duckweed so you can really see what’s going on.
- Now’s the time to prune your spring flowering shrubs and allow the space for your new perennials to flourish. You should cut down any faded foliage from bulbs and lift and divide overgrown clumps – they’re taking up valuable space and nutrients.
- While you wander around the garden, keep your secateurs to hand so you can deadhead as you go to encourage repeat flowering and divert energy to building up buds for next year’s flowers.
- Use this time to look out for and deal with any pests – try planting perennials nearby that attract aphid predators such as ladybirds, hoverflies and lacewings. Achilliea, Alyssum, Convolvulus minor, Fennel and Lupins are just a few that will add colour and bring welcome guests to your garden.
Finally don’t forget your lawn. Water new spring lawns constantly and treat tired-looking lawns to a liquid feed. Mow regularly – little and often is better than waiting until the grass gets really long. It gives you yet another excuse to be out in the garden, it’s a lot easier too and you could be burning up to 300 calories in the process!
