Summer Gardening, June. Help. Advice. tips, hints, answers, a seasonal guide to summer gardening

June Tips:

With the arrival of official summer, things can become a little hectic in the garden with weeds growing in the borders and grass that seems to grow over night. My advice at this time of year is to pace yourself and not take on any big projects, you will enjoy your garden much more if you can sit by that new pool occasionally and contemplate the greater meaning of life. Having said that there is plenty to do, both in the green house and in the garden itself. Now is the time to plant out the summer bedding plants, that will give a riot of colour all through the summer and often into the autumn. Before planting you must prepare the soil in the planting area. Dig over the bed and remove any weeds, then apply either artificial fertiliser or if you can obtain it good farmyard manure or horse manure.


See: Your June Q & A

June:

Question.


Hi, A question about AUCUBA.I understand that it is necessary to have both a female and male plant in order to have the red fruit berries in the Fall & Winter. My question is, how close do they have to be. Do they have to be in the same location or can one plant be located else where in the yard? Hope you can help.

Answer. Your Aucuba don't have to be side by side, anywhere in the yard will do, but best still in sight of each other. Not one each side of the house for instance.

Q. Hi,I hope you can answer my question, as I have not been able to find it in any of my gardening books, I have an ACER PALMATUM "Bloodgood" which has been growing in a pot for nearly three years. It is now in need of re-potting and I have just bought a very nice pot. The question is: Do I need ericaceous compost, or just ordinary multi-purpose compost? I also understand that I have to wait until the tree is dormant before re-potting, is that right? I look forward to your reply (so does the Acer)

A. Acer Palmatum are very sensitive to stress and re-potting now would most likely cause leaf drop and possible death of the plant. Due to water being diverted to new root development, rather than leaf growth. Re-pot October November, ordinary multipurpose compost is ideal. If you can obtain it, some well-rotted cow manure mixed with the compost in the bottom of the pot would also be beneficial.

Q. I live in Southern California and I have three HYDRANGEA plants in my front yard. They are on the north side of my house. One of them blooms beautifully every year. The other two get similar light and water but develop huge leaves and very few flowers (3 or 4 if I'm lucky). I prune them all at the same time in early November. Is there something that I can do to help them develop more flowers? Thanks for any advice you can give. Jan

A. Your soil may be too acid, try applying garden lime to correct this. Also feed with a high potash fertiliser containing iron. When pruning chop up the dead flowers and spread around the roots, the flower heads contain chemicals vital for good flower production. Also try pruning the two that are flower shy a couple of weeks earlier.

Q. I use a lot of BACOPA and NEPETA plants for my hanging baskets. I buy the plants but wish to know whether they can be grown from seed or whether cuttings need to be taken. I would welcome any advice that you may give.

A. Bacopa can be grown from seed but the results are often disappointing. Cuttings are better. Nepeta has to be from cuttings; one snag is that you have to carefully select the plants for cuttings because nepeta will regress to plain green over a few generations.

Q. Hello, I have a DWARF APRICOT TREE and the fruit that it is producing has very rough skin...it looks as if there is bark growing on the skin. Also, and I have seeds hanging from the branches where the fruit has not grown at all. Can you help me out? I have no idea what is going on.

A. This sounds like a coctail of troubles. Apricots are extremely susceptible to late frost injury, insects and diseases. Frost, you can't do much about. Insect pests include plum curculio, borers, aphids and mites. Diseases including brown rot, root rot and bacterial leaf spot. You can pre-emtively spray for insects and diseases in the winter when the plant is dormant. Your bigger local garden outlet will have the relevant sprays. Read the label carefully.

Q. Hi, I am having problems with my TULIPS; over the years, I've been having less and less flowers. In fact, the only thing that grew out of my bulbs this year is leaves. I got all my tulip bulbs out of the dirt, but I don't know what to do with them. Is they a way that I can get them to flower again? Thanks so much for your advice. (By the way, I live in Montreal, where the weather is fairly cold.)

A. This could be shortage of food in the soil. Feed with a high potash fertiliser in the early spring and let the leaves all die down naturally after flowering, also give a dressing of garden lime. Do not dig up the bulbs until they have completely died down. Tulips can also be affected by soil borne disease, planting marigolds where you intend to plant your tulips for next year seems to drive away these diseases.

Q. I had three DWARF BURNING BUSHES that budded and leafed out beautifully in the spring, and then within only a period of about 3 weeks, the leaves turned brown and the bushes dried up and died. They were on the north side of the house, getting partial sun, which is what is recommended in our desert climate in Utah. The soil was not dried out or waterlogged. What may have caused this to happen?

A. This could be rabbits or mice eating away the bark at ground level. If this is not the case your trouble is probably spider mite, these microscopic mites suck all the sap out of the bush and death results. These mites can be sprayed against with a proprietary insecterside or washed off with a weak mixture of detergent washing up liquid. Next time to find these mites place a white sheet under the bush and shake the branches, the mites if present will be found on the sheet.

Q. BLUE DELPHINIUM is one of my favorite perennials, but I can't seem to keep it healthy. I keep buying it and trying new spots, but few seem to work. It usually does OK the first season, but only about half the plants I buy come back the next year. What soil amendments and feeding does it require?

A. You are most probably suffering from snails and slugs; new delphinium shoots are very tasty in the spring and will be eaten off before you see them. Mark your plants with a stick and keep an eye on them. Delphinium like lime in the soil and high potash fertiliser.

Q. HELP, I am having a BBQ and lawn party, I do not want people dancing on my new grass. I would like to put a cover over my virgin grass. What would you suggest? Thanks. Lawn novice

A. You can rent Astro turf, or similar, plastic grass from outdoor lesure hire vendors, but do not leave on too long. Or you can put a large sign on the grass saying; Warning this grass has been sprayed. Remembering that it could have been sprayed with just plain water.

Q. Hi! I hope you can help me! I am in the third year here for gardening. My delphinium got these green worms all over them that curled the leaves. It was too late by the time I got them...I had to use BTK. The delphiniums are about 3 feet tall...looking better but still no buds and the bottom leaves are turning yellow...what should I do and will I get flowers? My painted daisy's are also getting yellowish leaves...I am about to cry over these Delphiniums...They are my favorite! Help me please!

A. Apply some garden lime and some magnesium sulphate (Epsom Salts) this will encourage the production of chlorophyll, the green pigment in the leaves.
Q. Is it possible to regenerate annual plants for the next year at home? Specifically, can you dry the bloom and plant it, or do you have to begin with the root base?

A. Annual plants live for just one year and cannot be revived.

Q. We purchased a Japanese Hydrangea two summers ago. It immediately took beautifully and has been growing well. However, it has never yet produced any flowers, just leaves. Does it take a few years before growing flowers? Is this normal? Please advise. Thank you kindly! Karen

A. Japanese hydrangeas do take a while to settle in. They seem to like to produce a mass of fine roots before flowering; a mulch of garden compost or rotted leaves around the plant will help root production.

Q. Hi!I live in England, but very new to it. I read about" Hardy spray chrysanthemums" in Geoff Hamilton's gardening book. I liked the flowers in the photo. How can I have it in my garden? And are they costly to have? Next, how can I have "Camellia x Williamsii hybrids"? Thirdly, what is the best vegetable I can grow with very less maintenance, because I do not know much about gardening? Thank you so much in advance, Bye.

A. Hardy spray chrysanthemums are planted in spring; plants are available at garden outlets.
You must protect the plants in the winter against frost by covering with straw or similar. Camellia Williamsii, the best for the beginner is called Donation. Do not plant facing East to South, in winter the early morning sun will melt the frozen buds too quickly after a frost and damage them. Potatoes are a low maintenance crop, but it is really too late this year (June) for any veg crop.

Q. I have a very large Cordylines in my garden in a pot which is doing extremely well except that a long flower has just started to grow out the middle of it. I have never seen this before in Cordylines and wonder if I should cut it off or just leave it. Can you help? Thanks very much A. The flower on the Cordylines is a rare bonus. Cut the stem off in a couple of month's time after the birds have had a meal from any seeds produced.

Q. I have a ficus tree for three years, I have never transplanted it but it has always done well, I live in Florida, and it stays out on the porch it gets morning sun and I water when needed. But now all of a sudden the leaves are turning yellow and they are falling off.

A. This could be over watering or moving the plant around to different locations, neither of which actions are liked by the ficus family. Failing this the compost in the pot may be exhausted, feed with a general-purpose fertiliser and add a spoonful of Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate). This will release vital elements in the soil and encourage the production of chlorophyll necessary for green leaves. If the plant recovers re-pot next spring into a slightly larger pot with fresh compost.

Q. When is a good time to divide iris? Thanks Christene

A. Iris, best too divide August September.

Q. Dear Gardening guru,I have a number of hanging baskets all of which include fuchsias. The fuchsias in one basket only appear to have what I would describe as black spot on the leaves. They start off with a black spot and the leaf eventually turns yellow and drops off. I have encountered black spot on my roses before but never with fuchsias - could you please advise.

A. This is almost certainly black spot, the same as on your roses. Spray all your fuchsias with a systemic fungicide, systemic sprays are absorbed by the plant and provide a longer lasting protection.

Q. Now that the tulips are done, should I trim them down, or leave them? Also, what could I plant between the tulips for the rest of the season that won't affect the tulip bulbs?

A. You must leave the leaves too die down; the energy from the leaves is used by the bulb to produce next years flower bud. French marigolds are recommended for planting among tulips, the marigolds appear to kill various virus diseases, which affect tulips. You can dig up the tulips and replant in a deep box full of soil, there they can die down in their own time without being in the way of your summer planting.

Q. I seem to have nearly killed my Rosemary plant with compost tea. I used the same strength as on my other plants, but the needles on most of the branches have now turned black and dropped off. Is compost tea not suitable for this type of plant?

A. This is simply a matter of you over feeding your rosemary plant. In common with many herbs, rosemary likes poor conditions.

Q. What is the correct way to trim a Rhododendron? I don't want mine to get huge and out of hand.

A. Pruning rhododendron. The job must be done now; June. leave any longer and you will destroy next year's flowers. If you want a rhododendron or azalea to be shorter next year or stay the same height, don't preserve the tip growth on the tallest branches. Clip into the old wood, eight or 12 inches shorter than you want that branch to be next year. Then water well and fertilize. New branches will pop out from the leafless wood.

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