June Gardening

Container plants can dry out quickly in the hot windy days of summer. Soil Moist is a polymer designed to reduce plant watering. It absorbs water similar to a sponge, when the soil dries; the stored water is released to the soil over an extended period of time. Safe to use on all plants, Soil Moist will reduce watering by 50% and last several seasons. www.soilmoist.com

To control powdery mildew on perennial Phlox and Monarda thin out spindly seedlings to allow light and air to circulate. As strong stems develop strip off all of the lower leaves. Discard them; do not use them for compost. Remember, fungicides must be applied early before a problem arises. Our garden center offers a complete line of conventional and organic fungicides.

Here’s how to give your Monarda (Bee Balm) a timed effect in early June: Cut some of the front stalks to 1/3, then cut some more of the front stalks by 1/2. Leave the back and side stalks to full size.

To get your plants off to a healthy start plant your veggies with Dr. Earth's Tomato, Vegetable, and Herb Fertilizer. This 100% Pro-Biotic Organic fertilizer contains benefical soil microbes and Mycorrhizae that asssure plant health.
Dr. Earth

To calculate the number of bedding plants needed for your planting area, first measure the width and length in inches. Check the plant tag in your pack or flat of annuals for recommended plant spacing in inches. Next insert the numbers into this formula:

(width ÷ spacing per plant)  x  (length ÷ spacing per plant)  =  number of plants needed.

Example: How many Impatiens for a border bed 3 ft. x 10 ft.?

Recommended spacing for these plants is 10 inches.
(36” ÷ 10”)  x  (120” ÷ 10”)  =  3.6  x  12  =  43.2, rounded up to 44 plants

Protect your lawns from fall grub damage by applying controls in late July:

Organic grub control:
Milky Spore
www.milkyspore.com

Beneficial Nematodes
www.organiccontrol.com

Conventional grub control:
Scott’s Grub Ex
www.scotts.com

Bayer 24 Hour Grub Control
www.bayeradvanced.com

To give your Lilacs a boost for next year’s flowering prune dried flower buds in mid June: otherwise prune before leafing out.

Peppers need support! We recommend Tomato Squares. Pepper’s branches are brittle; the weight of fruit will break branches!