June Gardening
Tip of the Month
June Video Tip of the Month
by Rich Sherman, Myrtle Creek Nursery, Fallbrook, CA.

June is a great month in the garden-you get the end of spring and the beginning of summer. Remember to remove dead flower heads from annual bedding plants to prolong blooming. You can plant summer annual in tubs and large containers to spice up your porch, just be sure to provide for drainage by either putting an inch of gravel or putting holes in the containers. Remove yellow and dry leaves from spring bulbs and set some annuals out to cover bare spots, being careful not to damage bulbs.

Watch for new pests, molds and start to add bark mulch for ornamentals and trees. Prune back ornamentals after their spring bloom to encourage stronger, bushier plants. This is also a great time to add vegetable seedlings for summer crops like beans, squash, melons and cucumbers. This is also a good time to harvest herbs. If you harvest before they flower, the leaves will contain more essential oils than after they flower. Keep on top of those weeds as they do steal moisture and nutrients from your plants and vegetables, as well as spreading pests and diseases.

June is also a great time to encourage your children to get outside, away from the television and video games. Letting them have their own garden creates interest in the natural world, which of course, encourages learning.

SUMMER PLANTS

Plants for Sun:

• Artemesis

• Calandrinia

• Callibrochoa

• Coleus

• Gaura

• Gerbera

• Geranium

• Ipomea

• Kangaroo Paw

• Knautia

• Phygelius

• Salpiglossis

Plants for Shade:

• Begonia

• Coleus

• Fuchsia

• Impatien

• Iresine

• Polka-Dot Plant

• Plectranthus