The June Garden

June – the summer transition month.

Our seasons this year seem to have been delayed by a couple of weeks, though maybe this is just my perception based on a winter that seemed colder and longer than usual. I am certain that this perception has nothing whatsoever to do with another years worth of sand having passed through the hourglass of my life’s clock…

Depending on how warm June turns out to be, it is possible that it could still be an excellent month for planting perennials. Any spaces that need some extra color and punch during the summer would appreciate the planting of annuals as soon as possible in the month, and the space will reward you with color for the rest of the summer.

Pruning tasks in June

• Lilacs should be pruned as soon as they finish blooming. They are a robust plant that often likes to be pruned, and can be pruned to a variety of forms. If you have a mature one in the right spot, try pruning it more like a tree, keeping all of the suckers and lower branches pruned back, leaving a few arching trunks to grow tall. This only works well on the taller varieties, like the common lilac and Canadian lilacs.
• Other flowering shrubs – generally, flowering shrubs should be pruned back as soon as they are done flowering in the spring.
• Trees for shape and health

 

Perennials to divide in June

• When the iris are done blooming, they can be dug and divided. Dig the rhizome clumps, and carefully pull them apart into individual plants. Use something like grass trimmers to cut the tops back into a fan shape or v shape about 4” to 6” tall. Plant the individual plants so that the top of the rhizome is right at the surface of the ground.
• Daylilies can be divided anytime, but right after blooming is an excellent time that allows you to enjoy this year’s bloom.

Other June tasks

• Keep pond pH down to a healthy range.
• Early June is still not too late to plant summer lilies (like Asiatic), though if they are planted as bulbs, they will likely not flower until next year.
• Remove spent flowers from all plants, and remove spent stalks from plants like iris and daylily.
• Fertilize for summer growth.