June gardening calendar

June 1, 2014|Tom MacCubbin, IN THE GARDEN


Average temperatures: High 91, low 71; rainfall 7.35 inches

First day of summer: June 21

The moon

1. Moon phases

•First quarter: June 5

•Full moon: June 13

•Last quarter: June 19

•New moon: June 27

2. Moon-sign planting dates

•Above-ground crops: 1, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 27, 28.

•Below-ground crops: 14, 15, 18, 19, 22, 23.

•Control weeds: 16, 17, 24, 25, 26.

•Prune trees and shrubs: 2, 3, 11, 12, 13, 20, 21, 29, 30.

What to plant




6. Bulb-type plants: Achimenes, African iris, agapanthus, amaryllis, blackberry lily, bulbine, caladiums, canna, crinum, crocosmia, day lily, eucharis lily, gladiolus, gloriosa lily, peacock ginger, society garlic, rain lily and walking iris.

Lawn care

7. Thanks to spring rain, lawns are making good growth — keep up needed care.

8. Determine lawn-feeding regulations in your area.

9. Where permitted, feed light-green to yellow lawns with a slow-release fertilizer.

10. Lawns previously fed often regreen with an iron-only product where permitted.

11. Fill bare spots with new sod, seed or plugs with the help of summer rain.



14. Chinch bugs are causing yellow to brown areas in lawn; treat when damage is noticed.


16. As summer rains return, reduce lawn waterings to only as needed.

17. Adjust and replace sprinklers to only water the lawn.

18. Track water your lawn receives; ½- to 3/4-inch is normally adequate at each watering or rainfall.

19. Mow lawns frequently, but don't catch the clippings.



22. Dig out or spot-kill weeds in turf.



25. Purchase only the amount of gas you can use within a few weeks.

26. Sharpen mower blades frequently.

Landscape chores


28. Make plans now to protect plants and landscape accessories from wind and storm damage.

29. Get tough on weeds with hand removal or spot-killing with herbicides.

30. Add a mulch layer to control weeds and stretch the time between waterings.

31. Trim dead or declining portions from trees, shrubs and perennials.

32. Complete azalea and gardenia pruning by month's end.

33. Give gardenias the care they need; water, fertilizer, mulch and scale-insect control.

34. Trim back poinsettias 4-to-6 inches after a foot of new growth to keep them compact.

35. Established plants usually do not need watering during the rainy season


37.Trim limbs and remove weeds that may be interfering with sprinkler operation.

38. Feed roses monthly and control black spot with a fungicide.

39. Add the tropical look to the landscape with heat-loving foliage plants.

40. Plant hydrangeas where they receive morning sun and afternoon shade.

41. Replace declining cool-season flowers with rain-tolerant summer color.

42. Give long-lived perennials a try for months of color.

43. Root tip cuttings of shrubs and foliage plants to grow more plants.

44. Transplant palms and sagos.

45. Feed shrubs and palms with a slow-release fertilizer.

46. Give container gardens a weekly feeding or use a slow-release fertilizer as labeled.

47. Divide orchids and bromeliads outgrowing their containers.


49. Add leaves and small branches to the compost pile.



52. Trim formal hedges after they produce 4-to-6 inches of new growth.

53. Groom hanging baskets, removing old flowers and lanky shoots.

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