After a very dry April and very wet May things might settle down for a busy time in the garden this month. We have not had a frost during June for the last quarter of a century, so it should be safe to plant out the most tender of bedding plants now and all those vegetables which were raised in the glasshouse can go in as well. There is still a fine choice of bedding plants in the garden centre including fuchsias, begonias, geraniums, busy lizzies and petunias, as well as trailing plants for hanging baskets, tubs and window boxes. After planting, always keep plants well watered and an application of liquid fertiliser should be applied every fortnight. Keep on top of the hoeing and watering in the vegetable garden. Runner beans, tomatoes, peppers, sweet corn, celery, brassicas and courgettes can be planted, and peas and salad crops can be sown.
In the glasshouse feed tomatoes with something like Tomorite and water them very regularly to prevent fruit developing Blossom End Rot. Keep the greenhouse well ventilated in hot weather. Fitting a simple automatic ventilator will help here. Damping down the greenhouse will help to keep up the humidity. The lawn will need to be mowed at least once a week, but when the weather is dry do not cut the grass too short. Never water established lawns but always water new turf or freshly seeded areas at intervals during the first few weeks.
Container-grown plants such as trees, shrubs, climbing plants, roses, hardy border plants and alpines can be planted at any time. When planting these, mix organic
compost with the soil which goes round the plant and put a little bonemeal in the bottom of the hole before putting in the plant. Leave out the bonemeal when planting
rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias and heathers. Established shrubs can be pruned a little after they have flowered. Roses need to be sprayed every few weeks with Roseclear and will need feeding with Toprose fertiliser, which is also the best feed for shrubs and herbaceous plants.
Make sure that tall plants in the hardy borders are staked, and dead-head plants which have finished flowering. Moisture in the soil can be preserved by putting down mulches of organic matter, such as bark chips on top of landscape fabric, and this combination will also help to keep the weeds down. Save water wherever possible but do not forget to keep the pond topped up and do put out water for the garden birds in dry weather.
The BBC Gardeners World Live Show is at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, from June 13-17. It is a special show this year and tickets can be obtained by phoning 0870 040 0370; tickets give free admission to BBC Good Homes Live and the Good Food Summer Festival as well.
A number of local gardens are open to the public this month and they are well worth a visit. Ashridge Gardens are open on June 2 and Serge Hill, Bedmond, is open on June 17. A number of gardens are open on June 24 including Benington Lordship near
Stevenage; Mackerye End, Harpenden; and North Mymms Park, Hatfield. Its the
Chipperfield Summer Flower Show on June 23 and the Bovingdon Summer Show on June 30.
Terry Simmonds