June Garden Guide

gillnurseryMonthly Garden Guide15 Comments

We all know how hard you’ve worked to have a beautiful landscape. Now how do you keep it thriving and surviving the summer heat?

Check out our  Top Tips for Summer Success. 

Comfort for Summer: Shade Cloth

Lawn Care

Fertilize early in the month, if not already done.

Fertilize organically with Milorganite or Medina Growin’ Green to your lawn and water in well, approximately 30 minutes per area.

Plant New Grass

Lay new sod or Bermuda seed anytime this month.

Fix Yellow Spots in Your Lawn

Treat organically with Nature’s Blend, or conventionally with Hi-Yield Iron Plus.

Mow as Required

Keep St. Augustine cut to about 3”, Bermuda at 1” – 2”.

Watch for Chinch Bugs and Grub Worms.
Water well every 7 to 10 days.

Plant

All container grown trees, shrubs, vines.

It’s prime time to plant tropicals such as Hibiscus, Bougainvillea, Ginger and Palms.

Garden Guide: Water Wise Landscaping

Bougainvillea
Hibiscus
Ginger
Late spring and summer color:

Zinnias, Periwinkles, Purslane, Moss Rose, Gomphrena, Lantana, Ruellia, Penta, Caladiums, Coleus, Angelonia and more.

zinnia Zinnias
moss-rose Moss Rose
Gomphrena
lantana Lantana
Seeds

Sunflowers, Morning Glory, Zinnias, and Gomphrena.

Caladium Bulbs

Caladium bulbs planted now will come up quickly for instant color.

Indoor Plants

Warm temps allow you to take your indoor plants outdoors for some fresh air. Just be sure to keep them protected from the sun. Shady patios are perfect for a short stay. Wash off the dust and bring them back in nice and clean.

Read: Plants, the Perfect Rx for Clean Air

 

Fertilize

Tomato & pepper plants

Fertilize tomato and pepper plants regularly. Use organic Rose Glo,
Hasta Gro, Plant Tone, or Medina Growin Green.

Read: My Ugly Tomato Plant

Roses

All roses with organic Maestro Gro Rose Glo

TREES & SHRUBS

Fertilize all trees and shrubs with organic Milorganite or Medina Growin’ Green. 

Annuals and perennials

Use organic Medina Growin’ Green, Hasta Gro, or conventional  Osmocote Time Release Granules

Azaleas, gardenias, and magnolias

Use organic Maestro Gro-Rose Glo or Medina Growin’ Green, or conventional Espoma Azalea Food.

Hibiscus and tropical bloomers

Fertilize all tropical bloomers with organic Rose Glo or Hasta Gro, or conventional Hibiscus Food

Citrus and Pecan trees

Use organic Espoma Citrus Tone, or conventional Pecan, Citrus and Fruit Tree Fertilizer

Prune

  • Faded blooms to encourage new blooms – especially important on perennials, tropicals, and crape myrtles
  • Shrubs to maintain good form
  • Palms, if needed

Watch Out For

Chinch Bugs

Caterpillars

Watch for caterpillars or their damage (chewed leaves). Use organic Thuricide, Spinosad, or conventional Cyonara.

Read: Texas Sage Eaten by Caterpillars?

Fungus, Powdery Mildew

Use organic Neem Oil, or conventional Systemic Fungicide

GRUB WORMS

Treat conventionally with Bonide Insect and Grub Control

Read: It's Grubworm Time Again!

CHINCH BUGS

Watch for Chinch bugs in lawns. Treat organically with Diatomaceous Earth, Spinosad, or conventionally with Cyonara RTS

Read: Check For Chinch Bugs If Your Lawn Looks Dry Even Though You Know It’s Not!

MEALY BUGS

Use organic Neem Oil, Bee Safe 3 in 1 Spray or Insecticidal Soap, Spinosad Soap, or conventional Cyonara, or Bonide Systemic

Read: Mealy Bugs are Here

SPIDER MITES

Treat organically with Neem Oil, Bee Safe 3 in 1 Spray or Spinosad Soap. Seaweed extract helps prevent them. Or, treat conventionally with Cyonara

FLEAS and TICKS

Treat lawns with organic Spinosad, Diatomaceous Earth Crawling Insect Killer, or conventional Cyonara.

Borers

Borers in mesquites, ash, and yucca. Treat organically with Spinosad, or conventionally with Tree and Shrub Drench.


Water

 
– When watering during periods of windy dry conditions, it’s important to water slowly and deeply. Be sure to watch the spray of sprinklers and adjust accordingly with the wind.

– Water all plants well after planting and regularly through the first year. Plants will begin to use more water as they grow and bloom. Outdoor potted plants dry out quickly as do hanging baskets and small annuals. Check new plants daily for water needs, many will need water every day.

– Mulch around trees and flowerbeds to conserve moisture.

– Make arrangements for someone to water if leaving for more than 2 days (especially new plants).

– Watch your perennials. Check soil moisture before watering. Many plants can die from over watering. Use a moisture meter when in doubt.

15 Comments on “June Garden Guide”

  1. As soon as my milkweed leafs back out after recovering from being stripped by the monarch caterpillars, the aphids show up. They don’t seem to have a negative effect on the caterpillars. Is there any reason to worry about the aphids? I have also noticed the ladybugs show up as well. I’m assuming this is a good thing, but just wondering if I should worry about all those aphids.

    Thank you! And thank you for these monthly garden guides!

    1. Aphids will slow down the growth of new foliage, but the plant will still grow anyway. Hummingbirds and ladybugs will enjoy eating aphids. But if you want the fastest growth, you can knock the aphids off with a sharp spray of water and they will not be able to climb back up.

  2. I have a mature Japanese blueberry tree that was hit hard by the freeze, but it’s now making a comeback. There is growth at the very top and in the middle, right where the old dead branches start. The new branches are about 8 inches long now. Can I still prune the old dead branches, or should I wait until the fall to prune them? I don’t want to stress out the tree. And what kind of fertilizer can I use for this tree?

    1. Medina grow and green is a safe and gentle organic fertilizer for aiding your trees recovery. You can prune out deadwood now, no problem for the tree.

    1. You could feed the soil with Hastagro and use Neem oil on the foliage at the same time, but you wouldn’t want to spary both on the foliage at the same time. Always best to use these early morning or late evening – don’t apply during the heat of the day.

    1. I would not recommend it, but if you want to try anyway, sandy soil, a bit of shade, and protection from harsh winds would be things in your favor.

  3. Hi James,
    I have a new fan flower plant in a hanging basket and it has gorgeous pink flowers. I’m have trouble controlling the water level. I put it in the shade, I put it in the sun, I have moved it three times. I thought I was over watering it and it dried out in two days. What do you suggest?

    Thanks,
    Jeanette

    1. Hi Jeanette – shade in the Summer is good, and try to keep it on the dry side generally. And use a moisture meter to let you know for sure when it needs water.

  4. Hi!
    Love this newsletter!
    Wondering if you might be able to answer this question…my Turk’s Cap is growing well but has a lot of holes in the leaves. Something is getting to them. Any idea what likes Turk’s Cap?

    1. Hi Susan – probably nothing to worry about. If the holes are large, it’s likely a caterpillar. If the holes are small, could be snails/slugs and/or pill bugs. We carry effective organic treatments for both if you decide they are causing more damage than you are comfortable with. More than likely, they’ll have a snack and move on.

    1. Hi Becky – that’s awesome to hear! We refer back to our blogs and garden guides all the time too! And when we hire new people, they come in handy as a training tool.

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