June, its summer in East Texas and time to enjoy the rewards of the season…fresh vegetables, watermelon, crepe myrtle blooms and summer annuals make their delightful display. Time to attend important June gardening chores.
1. Hanging baskets should be thoroughly soaked by placing the basket in a large tub or container and soaking the entire root ball. Feed baskets often. Liquid fertilizer may be added to the water every two weeks when watering.
2. Establish new baskets for summer accents. Basket plants for sun may include: portulaca, purslane, lantana, verbena, petunias, dwarf and creeping junipers. Shade baskets may include bedding begonia, impatiens, ferns, airplane or spider plant, Swedish ivy and wandering jew.
3. Control powdery mildew on crepe myrtle using fungicides.
4. Sooty mold may appear on crepe myrtle. This condition is caused by aphids which secrete a honeydew which blackens on the foliage Control aphides to prevent honeydew.
5. Insects to watch for at this time on landscape plants include spider mites on junipers, roses, verbena and marigold, etc; lacebug on pyracantha and sycamore, bagworms primarily on juniper sand other on new growth.
6. Continue to spray .rose bushes for blackspot control with fungicides. Keep infected leaves removed from plants and ground area.
7. Annual flowers that can be seeded now .through August include zinnias, marigolds, protulaca and periwinkle. Keep old spent flowers removed form current plants, to keep them blooming.
8. Still time to plant mums if you can obtain strong healthy container – grown plants. Continue to pinch terminal-growth on existing established blooms to induce more branching
9. A summer mulch of such as pine bark, pine straw, grass clippings and leaves can be very beneficial to retain moisture, protects the root system, and aids-in weed control. A mulch makes plant beds more attractive. Also, mulches serve as a protection to plants by keeping the lawn mower from coming into with
10. Azalea roots do not go deep, therefore, they need good summer watering and a mulch to conserve water. 4″ to 6″ of pine needles are ideal.
11. Freeze damage may occur on azaleas, evident by the splitting of major stems 4″ to 8″ from ground level, remove dead canes at ground level.
12. Newly planted trees and shrubs should be helped through the heat of summer. Keep grass and weeds from competing with the plants for moisture by providing a generous circle of cultivated soil around each new plant. A soil covering or mulch around these new plants is n some ways better than cultivation. Summer watering is essential.
13. Continue to plant new lawn grass areas. Water often until grass is established.
14. Watering – Summer heat will cause stress on many ornamental plants – important that the gardener water well and deep. It’s not how often, but how much. Shallow watering cause roots to come to surface soils, which in turn, will dry out all the faster. Water deep! …and less often.
15. Root cuttings of your favorite plants. Use 4-5″ cuttings from current season growth. Keep cutting sin shade and moist. Cover with clear plastic to hold in with clear plastic to hold in humidity. Heat and humidity is essential for root formation. Rooting hormones are available to encourage root establishment.
16. Water thirsty plants often such as caladium, coleus, impatiens, hydrangea, azalea — and container plants.
17. Don’t damage trunks of wooden plants with lawnmowers and weed eaters.
18. Remove the flowers on caladium and coleus to encourage attractive foliage.
19. Don’t overpot bougainvillea, as confined roots, good sun and feeding will encourage blooms.
20. Harvest garden vegetables often to encourage more production.
21. Cut garden flowers for indoor bouquets in the early morning or late afternoon. Place in deep water in a cool location for several hours before arranging. Milky stems such as. hydrangea should be burned to seal off cuts before placing in water.
22. Lightly cultivate soils around annuals, perennial, vegetables and plants frequently watered to allow easy water penetration. Mulching will help to keep the soil open and loose.
23. Place houseplants out-of-doors in a shaded garden bed to encourage new growth. Most houseplants love summer heat and humidity provided they never receive direct sun. Water houseplants out-of-doors often as they dry out quickly. Mist foliage to encourage new growth.