7 things you can do in the garden in June
It’s June, it’s hot, and it could be too wet or too dry.
It’s hurricane season. Remove dead or broken tree limbs to avoid damage during high winds. Shut off the sprinklers while there are heavy rains.
On the other hand, as temperatures rise, it quickly can become dry. When this happens, it’s important to water wisely. That is — water slowly and deeply to moisten the soil several inches down. Water early when the temperatures are lower and there’s less wind.
Keep an eye on potted plants, as they may require daily watering during the high heat.
Here are seven things you can do in the garden right now:
1. Plant flowers. There are many colorful choices to add to the summer garden: angelonia, black-eyed Susan, blue butterfly bush bird of paradise
bulbine, canna, celosia, cleome, coleus for sun or shade, cuphea, duranta, esperanza, gaura, ginger, torenia, hibiscus, lantana, oleander, pentas, periwinkle, plumbago, plumeria, moss rose, purple coneflower, purslane, ruellia, russelia, salvia, shrimp plant, star grass, summer phlox, sunflower, sweet potato vine, melochia and zinnia.
2. Plant basil, mint, rosemary, eggplant, melons, okra, Southern peas and sweet potato slips.
3. Mulch mow St. Augustine at 2½ to 3 inches to leave enough blade to shade the soil and conserve moisture.
4. Snip spent flowers off annuals, perennials and roses to encourage more blooms.
5. Keep an eye out for aphids, lacebugs, mealybugs, scale and whiteflies. Try the least toxic pesticides first to discourage pests.
6. Mulch. Using 2 to 3 inches of an organic mulch will conserve soil moisture, moderate soil temperatures and discourage weeds.
7. Become a bird-watcher. It’s great educational entertainment for you and the kids. Place a bird feeder in the garden and fill with seeds to attract various species. Accent a bed with an attractive birdbath, and keep it filled with fresh water.
Virtual Father’s Day Plant Sale
The Mercer Society will host an online plant sale 8 a.m. June 13 to 8 p.m. June 14 at themercersociety.square.site. The sale will feature more than 150 gingers and other plants and benefit Mercer Botanic Gardens.