Descanso Garden Club

Seasonal Tasks for the Descanso Gardener
Information provided by master gardener, Pam J.

                                                                         
June Gardening Tasks

• "It's better to be a young June Bug than
  to be an old bird of paradise." Mark Twain
  

• June is one of the best months to be a gardener. Everything is growing and green, and it seems that all of nature is in overdrive to get growing. This month is quite a busy one for the home gardener, so let's look at some of the chores that we can tackle this month.

• Pinch chrysanthemums to encouage bushiness and more blooms this fall.
• Once the dying foliage of spring flowering bulbs give with a gentle tug, it can be removed.
• Perennials that flower in the eary spring can still be safely divided at this time. DON'T divide any perennials that flower later on in the season.
• Plant the seeds of heat-loving and quick-growing annuals early in the month. These include zinnias, marigolds, cosmos.
• Weed, weed, and weed. Apply mulch to get moisture in.
• Continue to deadhead and prune flowering shrubs after their blooms fade.
• Set the mower up a notch as the months heats up to keep the grass a little longer in length.
• Apply supports for those floppy plants.
• Check for pest and diseases and treat with a good organic control.
• Don't water in the heat of the day and stop watering at least an hour or two before sunset to discourage mildew.
• Relax and enjoy your blooming annuals.