This Month … In the Garden
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This Month … In the Garden
JUNE
BY DAN STEVENS , SENIOR PLANT MANAGER AT MILLBROOK GARDEN CENTRES
JUNE ’ S TOP 5 TIPS :
Look after your lawn
Now that the weather is warming up , it is a great time to give your lawn some TLC . Regular mowing will keep your lawn growing strongly and stop weed growth too . If you want to allow some areas to grow for wildlife , now is a good time to stop and leave alone until late summer so that it can flower and provide food and habitat for garden wildlife . Use an edging iron to maintain a neat and tidy edge and prevent the grass from invading your beds and borders . In dry periods , make use of grey or stored water to keep your lawn healthy . Try to avoid using mains water through the summer - your lawn may start to lose condition in dry periods , but it will soon green up once the rain returns .
Cut back hardy geraniums
Once your hardy geraniums have finished flowering it is a good time to give them a good cut back . This will encourage both new flowers and strong new leaves to grow later in the season . Yellow leaves are a sign of a lack of water so use your stored water when you can to give them a good drink ! Hardy geraniums can also be divided and this is usually done once every three years or so . Hardy geraniums are one of Britain ’ s most popular perennial plants because they are so easy to grow . There are many different varieties available , so visit your local Millbrook to see what is in stock to brighten up your garden !
Lift and store tulip bulbs
Although you can leave tulips in the ground year round , they tend to be weaker in future years , being a little shorter and with less showy flowers . The best thing to do is to lift and store them . Wait until the leaves have turned yellow , usually a month after flowering . This is important because the bulb needs some time after flowering to power the bulb back up ready for next year ’ s growth . Dead-heading your tulips after flowering will also help with this so that they do not waste valuable energy making seeds . Lift them out gently with a garden fork , cut off the foliage and remove the flaky outer surface . Let them dry out and store boxes lined with paper somewhere cool and dark ready for autumn planting .
Plant out sweetcorn
Sweetcorn is great fun to grow from seed , generally being very easy to germinate . Nothing beats fresh sweetcorn raw or cooked right after picking . Now is the time to plant yours out now that the weather is warming ; sweetcorn can be very tender so waiting until June is advised . Choose a sunny , sheltered spot and plant in square blocks . Sweetcorn is wind pollinated and if they are planted in long rows you will struggle to get as many cobs to grow ! Water regularly through the growing season as they are thirsty plants , and don ’ t be afraid to earth up the stems to protect from wind damage . Try to hand weed around your sweetcorn as their shallow roots are easily damaged by hoeing .
Stake your tall perennials
By June , many of your herbaceous perennials will have put on lots of strong growth which is liable to collapse without adequate support . This is especially true in windy sites or after heavy rain . Tall species such as delphinium and foxglove especially will benefit from staking . Use soft twine and individual canes or circular support frames and remember to tie loosely to allow the plant to move in the wind . When tying individual stems , use a figure-of-eight method to prevent the stem rubbing against the support which may damage it . Top heavy plants such as peony and dahlia are well suited to circular supports and their vigorous growth will soon hide the support from view .
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