click on photo to view enlargement and view slideshow
June Gardening Tip of The Month
Turf
Plant Bermuda lawns during the active growing season, May through August.
Fertilize Bermuda grass lawns with Nitrogen each month beginning late April or early May according to the directions on the fertilizer package.
Apply Iron one a month according to the directions on the fertilizer package.
Apply one inch of water per week to Bermuda lawns.
Once every two or three years dethatch Bermuda lawns if necessary. Only dethatch during the active growing season, May through August. This enables the turf to quickly recover.
Vegetables
Plant Seeds
Armenian Cucumbers, Melons (Cantaloupe, Muskmelon), Sunflowers
Plant Transplants
Sweet Potatoes
Roses
Cut back on fertilizing established roses to encourage plants to slow down for the hot summer.
Water deeply as temperatures climb.
Hose off plants in the early morning to increase humidity and control spider mites.
Fruit and Nut Trees
Pick early-maturing deciduous fruit varieties, which are particularly prone to bird damage, before full maturity. Ripened at room temperature to lessen the bird peck loss.
Cover fruit trees with netting to protect from birds.
Apply nitrogen and zinc to pecan trees to produce normal size leaf growth and to enhance kernel development. Pecans also need more water than most other shade trees.
Landscape Plants
Increase water application as the weather warms. June is the driest month. Pay attention to irrigation needs of plants.
Apply mulch to the ground around heat sensitive plants keep the roots cooler and prevent evaporation.
Apply chelated iron to bottle brush, pyracantha, silk oak, and other plants with iron deficiency symptoms.
Prune palms when flower spathes show or delay pruning until after the palm has finished flowering to prevent infestation of Palm Flower caterpillars. If palms are pruned in the spring, leave the top five rows of peels so the caterpillars have a place to hide.
Cut off spent blooms to stimulate rebloom.
Native and imported heat tolerant plants can be planted right through the summer months. They will need to be watered on a regular basis until fall.
Transplant palms in the heat of the summer for best results.
If you have previously had a problem, apply around the base of Agaves a pesticide labeled for use on grubs in order to kill the grubs of the Agave Weevil.
Don't List . . .
Do not expose citrus and other sun sensitive plants to sunburn by pruning during the summer.