JUNE IN THE GARDEN

The almanac

„ Average temperatures: High 92; low 73

„ Rainfall: 7.15 inches

The moon

1. Moon phases for July „ First quarter: July 6

„ Full moon: July 13

„ Last quarter: July 20

„ New moon: July 28

2. Moon-sign planting dates

„ Plant above-ground crops: 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 13, 31.

„ Plant below-ground crops: 16, 17, 21, 22, 25, 26,

27.

„ Control weeds: 14, 15, 23, 24.

„ Prune trees and shrubs: 1, 2, 10, 11, 18, 19, 20, 28, 29, 30.

Time to plant

3. Vegetables: Boniato, calabaza, cherry tomato, okra, Southern pea, Seminole pumpkin, sweet cassava, roselle, sweet potato and yardlong bean; start transplants of eggplant, peppers and tomatoes from seed in mid July.

4. Flowers: Angelonia, ageratum, begonia, blue daze, bush daisy, butterfly plant, bulbine, cat’s whiskers, coleus, crossandra, false heather, fire spike, gaillardia, ginger, goldenrod, impatiens, Joseph’s coat, lantana, marigold, melampodium, Mexican petunia, Mexican sunflower, moon flower, ornamental sweet potato, pentas, periwinkle, porter weed, portulaca, purslane, salvia, sunflower, torenia and classic zinnia.

5. Bulbs: Achimenes, African iris, bulbine, caladium, canna, crinum, crocosmia, day lily, eucharis lily, gladiolus, gloriosa lily, peacock ginger, society garlic, spiderwort, rain lily and walking iris.

6. Herbs: Anise, basil, bay laurel, chive, dill, ginger, lemon balm, Mexican tarragon, mint, oregano, sage, sweet marjoram and thyme.

Lawn care

7. Lawns should be encouraged to make good growth and develop an extensive root system.

8. Summer fertilizer applications are prohibited in many areas; find out what is allowed.

9. Some lawns are yellowing; try to renew the green with an iron-only application if permitted.

10. Seasonal rains often provide adequate moisture; water only during dry times.

11. Lawn moths arrived early; control sod webworms when chewing damage is noted.

12. Chinch bugs have been active in St. Augustine lawns; control at the first sign of turf decline.

13. Some chinch bug controls are no longer effective; ask for an alternative if damage continues.

14. When you need to have turf problems identified, take a sample to your local Extension office.

15. Mow lawns at least weekly at their proper height; take different directions to prevent ruts.

16. Leave grass clippings on regularly mowed lawns to return nutrients to the turf.

17. Regularly sharpen mower blades, change engine oil and clean or replace air filters.

18. Repair bare spots and declining grass left from past problems.

19. New lawns can be established from seed, sod or plugs.

20. Avoid sodding shady spots during the rainy season to prevent decline due to rot problems.

21. Where tree roots and irrigation lines are not affected, till soils deeply before adding new grass.

22. Grass is often hard to establish under trees due to shade and roots; select another ground cover.

23. Eliminate hard-tomow areas by using mulch or a substitute ornamental ground cover.

24. Spot treat weeds, invading turf, during the cooler portion of the day.

25. Learn to identify lawn weeds and use appropriate controls.

Vegetable and fruit care

26. One more month to go before your next major garden: get the site ready.

27. Remove weeds, till in organic matter and adjust soil acidity to be ready to plant next month.

28. Use homemade or local compost, manures or commercial garden soil to improve sandy soils.

29. Remove declining crops to help eliminate pests before the next plantings.

30. Cover vacant garden soil with clear plastic for eight weeks to bake out pests.

31. Small raised beds or large containers make excellent garden sites for beginners.

32. Make sure all gardens have a daylong full sun exposure and a nearby water source.

33. Feed summer vegetable plantings monthly or use a slow-release fertilizer as instructed.

34. Start new tomato, pepper and eggplant seedlings in small pots or cell packs in mid-July.

35. Carefully select herbs for summer planting; most grow best in containers.

36. Locate or order seeds for late summer planting; place in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

37. Many banana and papaya plants are fruiting; feed monthly for best production.

38. Complete bunch grape harvests and begin picking ripening muscadines.

39. Add new fruit plantings to the landscape; make sure they stay moist.

40. Maintain citrus tree feedings and insect sprays to prevent greening.

41. Keep figs moist, feed lightly and maintain a mulch to avoid summer fruit drop.

42. Prune blueberries when the harvest is over; also check and adjust the soil acidity.

43. Remove declining stems from black blackberries to allow new growths to restart the bushes.

44. Give fruit trees light trimmings as needed to direct growth.

45. Harvest maturing pineapple fruits and use shoots to restart plantings.

46. Papaya fruit flies survived the warm winter; cover fruits with paper bags to prevent damage.

In the landscape

47. Mosquitoes are a concern when working in the landscape; apply repellents and cover up.

48. Empty water from pots, old tires and similar containers to help reduce mosquitoes.

49. Work during the cooler portion of the day or find a shady spot; wear a hat and use sun screen.

50. Fertilizing landscape plants is prohibited until fall in many areas — learn about your area.

51. Container-grown trees, shrubs and ground covers can still be added to the landscape.

52. One big secret to new plant survival is keeping the root ball moist until established.

53. Pruning time for azaleas and camellias is over; continue to prune gardenias and bougainvillea.

54. Hibiscus, crape myrtles and similar summer bloomers can be pruned but you lose the color.

55. Remove 4-to 6-inches of new growth from poinsettias to encourage compact growth.

56. Prune hydrangeas to remove old flower clusters and reshape plants when the blossoms fade.

57. Move indoor foliage outside to create a tropical look during the summer.

58. Hang orchids from trees and feed every other week for best growth and flowering.

59. Ground covers can be hard to find for shady areas; consider using bromeliads.

60. Use easy to maintain container gardens as accents for entrances, porches and patios.

61. Feed outdoor container plantings every two weeks or use as slow release fertilizer as labeled.

62. Daily rains may not completely moisten container gardens; check frequently for water needs.

63. Weeds grow as well as desired plants; pull, hoe or chemically control as needed.

64. Maintain mulch layers at 2 to 3 inches with trees and shrubs.

65. Delay transplanting established in-ground trees and shrubs until late fall or winter.

66. Rains encourage out-of-bounds growth; prune plantings and edge walkways as needed.

67. Mushrooms are common during the rainy season; remove them if children or pets are present.

68. Divide and replant perennials including shasta daises, gerbera, bromeliads and many bulbs.

69. Trim seed heads from spring-flowering annuals and perennials; save seeds for replanting.

70. Root 4- to 6-inch tip cuttings from shrubs and perennials.

71. Give roses a summer grooming and control black spots.

72. Feed water gardens monthly if permitted.

73. Many palms are declining due to diseases; sterilize pruners between palms to prevent the spread.

74. Leave as many green fronds on your palms as possible to keep them vigorous and healthy.

75. Prune hedges when the new growth reaches 6to 12-inches or allow them to grow naturally.

Foliage & indoor plants

76. Mealy bugs & scale insects are major foliage pests; control with a natural spray when noted.

77. Give your foliage plants a vacation; move them outdoors to a shady spot for summer.

78. Fill containers with foliage plants for the shady areas of patios, entrances and along walkways.

79. Groom and divide indoor plants to keep them attractive.

80. Transplant rootbound foliage plants into larger containers.

81. Make sure new containers and established plants have adequate drainage

82. Ask a friend to care for your plants during vacation or move them outside to a shady spot.

83. Fill empty indoor spaces with new plants; divide or propagate some of your own.

84. Feed home and outdoor foliage plants with a slow-release fertilizer as instructed.

85. Learn the poisonous plants in your home and landscape that could affect children and pets.