June Gardening in Transylvania County by Extension Master Gardeners

 Fertilizing

• Fertilize or side-dress your vegetables as needed. Vegetable crops generally need another dose of fertilizer about 5 to 6 weeks after planting, or when fruit starts to form. Sidedressing with Fertilizer

Planting

• Start Brussels sprout seeds for transplanting into the garden in mid-July. Growing Brussels sprouts
• Set out the following vegetable plants this month: Brussels sprouts, eggplant, pepper, tomato, and sweet potato. A Beginner’s Guide to Vegetable Gardening
• Plant the following vegetable seeds in your garden in June: bush, pole, and lima beans, corn, cucumber, okra, southern peas, pumpkin, summer and winter squash, and watermelon.
• There is still time to plant seeds for fast-maturing annuals such as cosmos, zinnias, marigolds, and small sunflowers.

Pruning

• Prune white pine in late June. Only trim the new growth which are referred to as candles. Pinching
• Late spring flowering shrubs can be trimmed back after the flowers fade. Avoid rejuvenation or hard pruning, this is best done in early spring before growth starts.
• Prune narrow-leaf evergreens such as juniper and arborvitae. Pruning trees and shrubs
• Prune hydrangeas that bloom on old wood when the flowers fade.
• Trim hedges as needed. Trimming hedges
• Remove water sprouts on fruit trees and crabapples.
• Cut off (deadhead) the faded flowers of phlox, Shasta daisy, and daylily to encourage a second flowering.
• Trim dried-up foliage on your spring flowering bulbs.
• Prune out dieback on hybrid rhododendrons, azaleas, mountain laurels, and blueberry.
• Pinch your chrysanthemums to encourage branching.

Managing Pests and Diseases

• Monitor landscape shrubs for insects and if needed, spray for the following insect pests: arborvitae (bagworm), boxwood (leaf miner), crape myrtle (aphid), hemlock (spider mites), and pyracantha (lace bug). Shrub pests
• Spray for Japanese beetles if needed. Japanese beetles
• Monitor vegetables for insects, particularly on the underside of leaves. If needed, spray the following vegetables when insects are observed: cucumber (cucumber beetle), squash (squash borers and aphids), tomato and eggplant (flea beetle), broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower (worms).
• Use row covers to exclude potato & cucumber beetles, flea beetles, leafhoppers, and vine borers.
• Watch for hornworms on tomatoes. They can be controlled by manually pulling them off and dropping them in a bucket of soapy water.
• Continue spraying your tree fruits and bunch grapes per your pest control program.
• Check asparagus plants for the asparagus beetle. Spray with the recommended insecticide if beetles are observed. Asparagus pests
• Continue the rose spray program. Fungus on roses
• Watch for dark brown spots on your tomato leaves. If observed, spray with a fungicide.
• Spray herbicide on the following woody weeds: poison ivy, honeysuckle, and kudzu.
• Use pesticides sparingly. Spray only when needed.

 Lawn Care

• Continue fertilizing zoysia this month. Do not fertilize tall fescue and bluegrass now.
• Maintain the mowing height for fescue lawns at 3 inches. Try to mow frequently enough to remove no more than 1/3 of the blade at a time.

Propagating

• Take semi-hardwood cuttings of azaleas, cotoneaster, camellia, holly, Pieris, and rhododendron in late June or early July. Propagation from cuttings

Miscellaneous To Do

• Build a cold frame for rooting shrub cuttings. Cold frame plan
• Renovate your strawberry bed after the berry harvest is completed. Strawberry renovation
• Water your favorite plants during periods of dry weather. Water early in the morning as watering late in the day encourages plant disease. Check new plantings for water. Trees and shrubs can take 2-3 years to get established and herbaceous perennials may take up to 1 year.
• Make certain vegetable gardens receive at least 1 inch of water per week.
• Check and harvest cucumbers, squash, and green beans regularly (daily) to help keep plants producing. They also mature quickly and are best harvested while young and tender
• Now is a good time to repot houseplants that have been moved outside for the summer. Clean up and cut back foliage to encourage new healthy growth. Pour off excess water in houseplant trays and saucers to prevent roots from rotting.
• For the best flavor when drying herbs like oregano and thyme, harvest them early in the day and before blooming.