June Gardening.

June is an exciting and energetic month in the garden, with an abundance of flowers, incredible scents and plenty to harvest in the veg patch. Here at P&R Garden Supplies we’re full of bedding plants ready for planting out now, and now the risk of frost has passed we can all stop watching the weather so intently! There are four main words to remember for June: Dead-heading, Feeding, Watering and Supporting. Deadheading starts now and continues right through to the end of autumn. Cut off each spent flower head as and when you spot them. By stopping the plant from setting seed it will produce more flowers. All plants need three major nutrients to thrive; nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, which are generally known as NPK (their chemical symbols). Nitrogen promotes leaf growth, phosphorous is for the roots and potassium is needed for flower and fruits. A general-purpose fertiliser and will aid all round growth, but some fertilisers are higher in one or another nutrient. For instance, tomato fertiliser is designed to promote lots of plump fruit and will be high in potassium (K). Plants need plenty of water in order to grow. If the weather is dry, water frequently. The best time to do this is either early in the morning or later in the evening when there will be less evaporation. Keeping the soil moist can also limit the damage caused by powdery mildew and other fungal diseases. Support the growth on tall perennial plants to prevent them getting damaged by the wind. Putting in supports early will allow the plants to grow and eventually hide any hoops, bamboo poles, netting and string. This is a time when pests suddenly become more apparent. Squash any aphids (greenfly & blackfly) between your fingers or if necessary spray with an organic insecticide. Ants running up and down your plants are a tell-tale sign that there are aphids about. Pests like weeds too, so make sure you weed regularly and thoroughly. Top Tips for June: • Lift and store tulip bulbs ready for replanting in November. • Sow seeds of biannuals including sweet Williams and wallflowers for flowering next spring. • If any of your hanging basket plants have become leggy trim the excess away, to encourage new bushier growth. • Pinch out side shoots from cordon tomato plants • You can start to prune cherry, plum and apricot trees now if needed. Summer pruning avoids infection with the fungal disease ‘silver leaf’. June is perfect for visiting other gardens for inspiration. On 9th June 17 gardens in Brandon and Weeting are opening their gates to raise for St Nicholas Hospice. This is a great opportunity for you to see what plants will thrive in your garden. Tickets are available to purchase from P&R Garden Supplies, St Nicholas Shop and on the day from Brandon Heritage Centre. Whatever June brings I hope you get a chance to step out into the sunshine and enjoy the season as you tackle this months gardening jobs. Rachel Sobiechowski BSc (Hons) P&R Garden Supplies, Fengate Drove, Brandon 01842 814800 www.p-rgardensupplies.co.uk