There are just 3 months each year which are virtually frost-free and June is the first of these. It is a frantic time of choosing and planting out all those tender bedding plants such as geraniums, fuchsias, petunias, busy lizzie, begonias, dahlias, ageratum and marigolds. Trailing fuchsias and geraniums and Surfinia petunias are ideal subjects for hanging baskets and window boxes but there are many ideas which can be found by regularly visiting the garden centre. Always add a water-retaining gel such as Swell Gel to the compost intended for all containers and add a slow-release fertilizer as well. It is rather late to be direct sowing outside in borders now, but it is already time to be sowing wallflowers for flowering next spring. Keep the weeds down and water and feed all bedding plants.
In the vegetable garden sow peas and also sow salad crops at regular intervals. Plant out the marrows, courgettes, outdoor tomatoes, peppers, celery, sweet corn, cabbage, cauliflower and, of course, runner beans. Vegetables need to be watered regularly and this is very important with all tomato crops. Regularly feed with a liquid feed such as Tomorite. Keep the greenhouse well ventilated in warm weather and apply Coolglass or some other kind of shading. Feed the lawn as soon as possible but not in hot dry weather and cut at least once a week, but avoid cutting too short. Only water newly seeded areas or new turf but never water an established lawn. If purchasing a mower, the latest models leave clippings as a fine mulch.
There is still time to plant out herbaceous perennials, cottage garden plants, shrubs, climbing plants and conifers. Always use some form of mulch: the folks at the garden centre can advise on how to do this and how to conserve moisture and so to cut down on the use of water. Do keep the roses sprayed against rust, mildew and black spot every 3 weeks, and feed with Toprose fertilizer which is an excellent feed for shrubs and conifers too. Stake those tall perennials in the hardy borders and keep them dead-headed. As shrubs finish flowering they will need to be pruned. If the birds have finished nesting it is time to cut the hedges.
Chipperfield has its Summer Flower Show on June 21. Gardeners’ World Live is at the NEC Birmingham from June 11-15 (tickets 0870 040 0374). The garden at Callipers Hall will be open on June 22 and on the same day a number of gardens in Whelpley Hill will be open. Other gardens open this month include those at Ashridge and Serge Hill, Bedmond, on June 15 and at Waterdell House, Croxley Green on June 29.
Terry Simmonds