JUNE

Bulbs

• Remove leaves of most spring bulbs once they have collapsed and turned brown (waiting is essential to allow food and energy to be absorbed back into the bulb for growth next spring).

Roses

• Fertilize after each flush of bloom with a rose fertilizer or slow release tree and shrub fertilizer (following label directions)

• Continue removing dying leaves and stems to keep healthy.

Vegetables

• Plant warm season crops, like sweet potatoes, watermelon and okra

• Wait until after June 20 to plant peas and fall tomatoes to avoid certain pests and diseases that attack these plants

• Lightly side-dress vegetables that are beginning to yield crops with a complete fertilizer

• Allow beneficial insects, such as lady beetles (ladybugs), to control aphids. 

Plant perennials, like astilbe, Shasta daisy, purple coneflower and rudbeckia.

Pinch back chrysanthemums and dahlias to encourage lateral growth.

Treat now if you see scale, spider mites, lacebug, leaf miner, spittlebug, or leaf hopper on euonymus, azalea, camellia, pyracantha, gardenia and photinia.

Remove all canes of semi-bush fruits like blackberries when they finish fruiting to encourage new shoots from the crown on which next year's berries will set.

Raise mower height to 3½ inches, and try to mow frequently enough to remove less than one-third of each grass blade at a time

• Leave clippings on the ground unless frequent rainfall produces excess growth and too many clippings pile up. 

Check lawns for white grubs and control, if necessary.

Water as needed to prevent drought, but not more than 1 inch per week (including rain).

Submit a soil sample for analysis to Cooperative Extension Service, so you’ll be prepared for fall fertilizing. 

Trees and shrubs planted within the past couple of years may need additional watering during the hotter summer months, especially if we have prolonged dry spells.

Prune your non-blooming evergreens by July if they need a bit of reshaping

• Continue to remove dead spots when you notice them. 

Japanese beetles will begin showing up—you can either ignore some damage or apply a pesticide (follow label directions).  Japanese beetle traps have not been proven effective at reducing plant damage. 

Watch for powdery mildew on crepe myrtles and roses, and apply an appropriate fungicide when needed (according to label directions). 

Don’t forget to apply sunscreen before working in your yard.  Wear a hat, and remember to drink water while working outside for extended periods.