Garden Tasks for June

Winter has arrived. It is predicted to be a warmish winter ahead.  I hope this prediction comes true. Although the cooler days have allowed everything in the garden to slow down in its growth.  This slow down has included the weeds and the lawn growth which I’m quite happy about.

I love this slow down in our garden as it will give me a chance to get on top of a few things.  I’m aiming to have all the weeding completed, whipper snip all edges and start the winter pruning on our deciduous trees.

Here are a few more garden tasks for this time of year;    

I will start to dig up my Dahlias.  These will need to be lifted, divided, washed and store your Dahlias (see this blog post for all the tips)

Continue planting out winter crops in the veggie garden – I just planted out more leafy greens like a Mesclun mix, Asian mixed greens, rocket, lettuce in a frost protected area. Also plant out carrots, broccoli, broad beans, cauliflower and beetroot.

As the growth does start to slow down in the garden it is a good time to get to all of those tasks that you never have time to do in the busier warmer months. Tasks you have put on the back burner.  A couple of things that come to mind are; repair any irrigation systems breaks, tighten up any leaking taps, clean off the moss from paving.

Be aware of frost on hoses, exposed pipes and taps.  If you do get heavy frosts wrapping exposed pipes and taps with some hessian can prevent them from being damaged by frost.  Also if you normally leave hoses rolled up close to the taps covering them over or moving them into a garage or shed will help preserve their life span.  A heavy frost can cause the outer layer of plastic to crack.

Spring bulbs – get them in NOW.  I have finally planted out my 200 plus daffodil bulbs last week – a little late but should still be ok.   This year I have planted them out in groups along the edge of the front lawn.  This should hopefully prove to give us an amazing display of their yellow trumpets come spring.

Get on top of all mowing and weeding now growth has slowed down.

Prepare beds for bare rooted trees and roses that should be available later this month and next month.

Continue to take cuttings or division of perennials such as sedums, society garlic and all the salvias

Start the winter pruning on your deciduous trees

Pick your olives.  Ours are the “Manzanillo” variety and they are ripe now for the picking.  After picking we will also do a light prune on the trees.