June is a lively month in the UK garden, as summer officially begins and plants start to reach their full potential. It's a month to enjoy your hard work from earlier in the season while continuing to nurture and maintain your garden:
Things to do in June:
Last Chance:
Getting Ahead:
The Weather
Here’s a detailed checklist of what to do in the garden during June, broken down into categories for clarity. June is a busy and productive month - you’ll be harvesting, watering more, planting out tender crops, and giving summer growth plenty of attention. Use it as a working plan and adapt according to your location, soil type and micro-climate.
General Tasks
| Weeding: | Regularly weed garden beds, borders and pathways as weeds will grow quickly in the warm weather. Mulch around plants to help suppress weed growth and retain moisture. |
| Watering: | As the weather warms, watering becomes essential. Ensure plants are watered deeply, especially newly planted ones, containers and those in dry or exposed areas. Early morning or evening is the best time to water. |
| Feeding: | Apply a balanced liquid feed to flowering plants, vegetables and herbs to promote strong growth and flowering. |
| Pest control: | Check for pests such as aphids, slugs, snails and caterpillars, taking action early to prevent infestations. |
Vegetables & Herbs
| Harvesting: | Begin harvesting early crops such as lettuce, spinach and radishes. Regular harvesting encourages further growth. |
| Sowing: | Continue to sow quick-growing vegetables like salad leaves, radishes and turnips. You can also sow crops like peas and beans for a second harvest later in the season. |
| Plant out tender vegetables: | Plant out any tender vegetables like tomatoes, Courgettes, beans and peppers that you’ve been hardening off in preparation for the summer. |
| Feeding: | Plants will benefit from a liquid feed every couple of weeks. |
| Support plants: | Ensure tall-growing vegetables like beans, peas and tomatoes are well-supported with stakes, trellises, netting or wigwams as they grow. |
| Harvest herbs: | Pick herbs regularly to encourage new growth. Now is the time to harvest basil, mint and coriander for use in the kitchen or to dry for winter use. |
Fruit
| Harvesting: | Begin harvesting early fruits like strawberries, gooseberries and cherries. Regular harvesting encourages more fruit to form and prevents over-ripening. |
| Thin fruit on trees: | Thin out excessive fruit on apple and pear trees to ensure that the remaining fruit grows to a good size. This also helps with airflow around the tree, reducing the risk of disease. |
| Prune raspberries: | After fruiting, cut back summer-fruiting raspberries to the ground, leaving new canes to produce next year’s fruit. |
| Mulch fruit plants: | Apply mulch around fruit trees and bushes to retain moisture, suppress weeds and regulate the temperature of the soil. |
| Support fruiting plants: | Ensure climbing fruit plants like cucumbers, tomatoes and beans have adequate support and are regularly tied in to prevent them from sprawling. |
The Flower Garden
| Deadhead flowers: | Regularly deadhead faded flowers on plants like roses, geraniums and petunias to promote continued blooming and prevent seed production. |
| Stake tall plants: | Tall plants such as delphiniums, sunflowers and lupines may need additional support as they grow. Use stakes or plant supports to keep them upright and prevent them from falling over in wind or rain. |
| Plant summer bedding: | If you haven’t already, continue planting summer bedding plants like begonias, lobelia and geraniums in beds and containers to provide vibrant summer colour. |
| Prune spring-flowering shrubs: | Trim back the spent flowers on spring-flowering shrubs like lilacs, magnolias and forsythia to encourage fresh growth and shape the plant. |
| Feeding: | Apply a liquid feed to flowering plants to encourage strong blooms and overall plant health. |
The Greenhouse
| Harvesting: | If you’ve been growing crops like tomatoes, cucumbers or peppers in the greenhouse, begin harvesting them as they ripen. |
| Tomatoes: | Support using canes or vertical wires, remove side shoots. |
| Pinching out: | Pinch out the side shoots on tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers to encourage stronger central growth and more fruit. Chillies will benefit from having the growing tips pinched out to create a bushier growth with more fruit. |
| Watering: | Water greenhouse plants regularly but avoid waterlogging. Ensure pots and trays have adequate drainage to prevent root rot. |
| Ventilation: | With warmer weather, ensure that the greenhouse is well-ventilated. Open vents and doors during the day to allow fresh air to circulate and reduce humidity. |
| Pests: | Keep an eye out for greenhouse pests like whitefly, aphids and red spider mites. Use organic solutions like neem oil or insecticidal soap to control infestations. |
Containers
| Plant-up containers for summer: | Fill containers with summer annuals like petunias, begonias and marigolds for a burst of colour throughout the summer months. |
| Deadhead container plants: | Remove dead or fading flowers from containers to keep them looking tidy and encourage new blooms. |
| Watering: | Containers dry out quickly in summer, so check them regularly and water deeply as needed. Consider adding water-retaining gel or mulch to help maintain moisture levels. |
| Feeding: | As container plants are in limited soil, they may need regular feeding. Use a liquid feed every 1-2 weeks to keep them healthy and vibrant. |
Trees & Shrubs
| Pruning: | Prune summer-flowering shrubs like hydrangeas and buddleia after flowering to shape them and encourage new growth. |
| Watering: | Ensure newly planted trees and shrubs are watered regularly especially in dry spells, to help them establish strong roots. |
| Pests: | Inspect trees and shrubs for pests such as aphids, caterpillars or leaf spot disease and treat them as necessary. |
| Mulching: | Apply a layer of mulch around the base of trees and shrubs to conserve moisture, regulate temperature and prevent weeds from taking hold. |
Hedges
| Trim hedges: | This is an ideal time to trim and shape your hedges, especially if they are growing vigorously. Use shears or a hedge trimmer to maintain a neat and tidy appearance. |
| Pests: | Keep an eye on hedges for signs of pest damage, such as aphids or scale insects and treat as needed. |
The Lawn
| Mowing: | Continue mowing the lawn every week or two, depending on growth, to maintain a neat appearance. Set the mower blade higher during hot, dry periods to avoid stressing the grass. |
| Feeding: | Apply a high-nitrogen fertiliser to promote strong, healthy growth. If you have moss in the lawn, you can also use a moss killer. |
| Watering: | During hot, dry spells, water the lawn deeply, but avoid watering too frequently, as this can encourage shallow root growth. Water in the early morning or evening to reduce evaporation. |
| Aerating: | If your lawn is compacted, consider aerating it to improve water and nutrient penetration. |
Wildlife and the Pond
| Clear debris: | Remove any fallen leaves or debris from the pond to maintain water quality. |
| Top-up water levels: | Ensure the pond is topped up, particularly during hot, dry weather, as water levels can drop quickly. |
| Add plants: | Add aquatic plants like water lilies, oxygenators, or marsh plants to maintain a healthy pond ecosystem. These plants help oxygenate the water and provide shelter for wildlife. |
| Wildlife: | June is a busy time for pond wildlife. Check for signs of frogs, tadpoles and newts. Ensure the pond has easy access points for amphibians to enter and exit. |