Summer starts here! The summer solstice takes place on 21st June, meaning this month is filled with light – and hopefully, warmth as well.
This is great for the plants that you want to grow, but can also means that weeds also flourish, springing up seemingly from nowhere. The following are some of the best tasks to tackle this June.
The lawn
• Mow your lawn once a week as a minimum
• Water the lawn during hot, dry spells
• If the ground is dry, raise your mower blades to lower the pressure on the grass
• Use a specially formulated lawn weedkiller to tackle any unwanted growth
• To encourage strong, green grass, use a lawn fertiliser
Shrubs and hedges
• Cut back those shrubs that flowered during spring
• Any evergreen hedging such as box, privet or yew can be clipped
• Check for nesting birds before cutting beech hedging
Hanging baskets and containers
• You can now place your summer hanging baskets and pots outdoors
• Water at least every other day, keeping soil moist but not soaked
• Feed weekly with liquid fertilizer
Pest control
• Check for slugs, and take action quickly to get them under control
• Aphids may be hidden beneath leaves. You can remove them by rubbing, or use a natural pest control or insecticide
• White mildewed leaves can be removed and the plant sprayed with fungicide
Make time to enjoy early summer too. Relax on your Outback reclining chairs and enjoy a G&T as you savour those long, light evenings.
