As the official starting month of summer, June is a wonderful time to start working on your garden. Flowers bloom in abundance, fruit and vegetables flourish and the barbecues start making a more regular appearance. It may not be the hottest month but there is still plenty of sunshine, giving you the perfect excuse to get your garden to be the best it can be.
We’ve put together 10 important June gardening jobs that will be guaranteed to make your garden thrive. However, before we begin, check out our guide to maintaining and entertaining in your garden this summer.
1. Thin your fruit trees
Whilst trees naturally shed some of their fruit in the early summer, known as the ‘June Drop’, it’s important to thin the rest by hand to improve the quality of that remaining. Further thinning also ensures that branches aren’t overloaded and allows sunlight to reach the fruit, helping it to ripen evenly.
2. Trim your hedges
It’s best to trim your hedges in June as it encourages them to sprout new leaves and grow out any bare spots over winter. Keep your hedges looking neat by trimming the growth with shears or a hedge trimmer.
3. Deadhead any roses
June is traditionally the month when roses are at their peak, but it’s important to deadhead them so more flowers can be produced in the long run. It was originally believed that cutting a head off just above a leaf was the best technique, but it’s now recommended to snap them off just below the head instead. Check out our best gardening gloves for 2023 to protect your hands!
4. Pay special attention to your strawberries
Strawberries and other soft fruits need a bit more attention in June as opposed to other months. Techniques such as placing a bed of straw or gardening fleece as a cushion will help them ripen at a nice rate. Remember to also start netting your strawberries to prevent the wildlife in your garden from chomping on them. It’s also recommended to pick them regularly so you can enjoy them before the birds or slugs do!
5. Get on top of your weeding
The extra sunlight in June is great for your plants, but weeds thrive off it as well. Hoeing them is a good way to start, but pulling the whole weed out including the tap root is ideal. For the best results, choose a dry day with a light wind so seedlings dry out on the surface of the soil rather than re-rooting themselves.
6. Harvest any seeds
June is a great time to collect any seeds from your plants which have already flowered. Once picked, get them planted as soon as you can whilst the seeds are still fresh. You can also share them amongst friends and family so they can get the same enjoyment.
7. Keep watering
The June sun and lack of rain will dry your plants out quickly if you’re not careful, and they will need a good soak a couple of times to keep thriving. Established trees and shrubs do not generally need watering, but newly sown or newly planted areas should be high priority. Although, be careful not to make these watering mistakes!
8. Mow your lawn at least once a week
June is the time to mow once a week, ideally letting cuttings fall back into the lawn for the best results. Not only does this increase lawn quality, it decreases weeds/disease and helps to keep up a lawn's appearance. Perfect for hosting those barbecues! Check out our guide to the best 2023 lawn mowers.
9. Support your tall perennials
Strong winds at this time of year can cause quite a bit of damage to taller perennials, so it's essential to support them to help prevent damage. This will enable your plants to remain strong whilst growing upwards, instead of drooping over. Bamboo sticks are great for lightweight plants, and metal is the option to go for if they’re heavier and bigger.
10. Harvest!
Finally, June is the perfect time to start harvesting and enjoying all your hard work. These can include:
Brassicas: calabrese, spring cabbage, kale
Roots: radishes, carrots, onion sets, potatoes and baby beetroot
Salad: salad leaves, peas, all lettuce
Leafy greens: chard and perpetual spinach
Herbs: pretty much all herbs should be flourishing and ready to pick in June (but pick and use them as you need, as they are most flavoursome when picked young)
Fruit: rhubarb, strawberries, cherries, redcurrants, gooseberries
Looking for more tips on how to garden this summer? Read these 8 eco-friendly gardening tips for a greener sustainable garden.
