Maid To Garden

In The Garden Of Good Living - June 2009: Gardening Season Heats Up
by Pat Hendrickson

June marks the time of year when the days become longer and the heat starts to kick in. It's time to get the rest of the vegetables started, dead head annuals, and start thinking about colors for the Fall. We had a fabulous Spring, with plenty of rain. It's going to dry out now, and along with the heat, we have some stellar growing weather!

Gardener's Tips

Flowers - Planting and Transplanting
Encourage bushy production of flowers by pinching back and deadheading. For Iris and Peonies remove the flower stalks. Also trim rose blossoms and dead foliage from bulbs that have finished blooming.

Tuberous Begonias can now be safely planted outdoors, and Gladiolus corms can still be planted for blooms all summer long. Gladiolus can take anywhere from 70 to 120 days to bloom, with an average bloom time of between 80 - 90 days. Large bulbs take longer to bloom than smaller bulbs, as do bulbs that are buried deeper.
A Note about Transplanting
Even though the Fall is the safest time for dividing perennials because they are starting to go dormant, there are some that will do fine when divided as they begin to emerge in Spring and early Summer.

As a matter of fact, I find it easier to take care of this chore now, since I can see them and identify them. By the time Fall comes around, I may forget that they are there, or that I had even planned to thin them out. I have no problems dividing hostas, liriope, sedum, cat mint, ornamental grasses, black-eyed susans, and daylilies.

This is also a great time to think about a perennial swap in your neighborhood or among friends. Find 6 or 10 garden enthusiasts that you can share your treasures with, and swap away!
Trees and Shrubs
This is a good month for pinching or pruning Junipers, Cypress or Conifers.

Immediately following the end of flowering you will want to fertilize shrubs like Rhododendrons, Camellias and Azaleas with a fertilizer for acid loving plants such as Hollytone (Espoma) or Cotton seed meal.