After an arid couple of months, the rainfall midway through May came as awelcome relief to us gardeners! I’ve rarely known such a dry season, andconditions were not the easiest for planting. Some of my seedlings gottotally frazzled and I had to replant peppers and chillis! Waterbutts arenow happily filled which means that watering won’t be an issue thismonth, certainly.June is a lovely time in the garden, borders with summer planting will bestarting to fill out. It’s so important to keep on top of deadheading. Roses, pelargonium, cosmos,marigolds and sweet peas, the summer bedding, all benefit andgive a longer and better display through the season by doing thisregularly. Spring-flowering bulbs such as snowdrops can be liftedand split if this hasn’t been done already, and if you do lift tulipseach year, they can be done now and dried off before storing. Itend to keep mine in and just mulch over, as long as the grounddoesn’t get too wet over winter, they’re just fine!I cut back hardy geranium, alchemilla and pulmonaria hard toavoid anything seeding off.Spring flowering shrubs can now be pruned back straight afterflowering. Forsythia, flowering currant and mock orange shouldbe taken back to young growth just below the old flower andabout a quarter of the old stems should be removed to the base.Softwood cuttings, such as lavender can be taken now, andexotics can now be planted out as risk of frost has passed.Hanging baskets and pots should be fed at least fortnightly to keep everything looking its best!
In the Veg Patch
Squash, courgettes, brassica and beans can be planted out now. Ialways sow a few bean seeds straight into the ground if there isspace. Bean seeds can keep for a couple of years if resealed andkept in a dry place, I generally have loads left over in a packet!Outdoor cucumber and tomatoes can be put out as well, thoughbearing in mind the blight that hit last year, you may considerkeeping them under cover...
Salad crops and some early strawberries will be ready to pick nowand it is a good time to resow lettuce etc for a second crop.
Happy gardening!
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