So far, we’re expecting this to shape up to be a warm, dry summer. Many of our traditionally June-blooming flowers have already finished their show, but you can still find plenty to see in the garden.
What To See
Salvia are blooming now, along with catmint, the last of the geranium, and the lavender. Coneflower is starting to open up too.
Fruit trees are developing their crops. Watch for apples to start gaining their red blush and raspberries to start developing fruit.
Butterflies are out in force. Look for them around weedy spots and near red, orange, and purple flowers.
Amy M's apples are starting to turn red.
What to Do
Finish harvesting your spring crops! Strawberries, peas, salad greens, and other spring crops are ready now.
Continue succession planting of beans, carrots, sweet corn, and melons for fall harvest. Now’s the time to plant for Halloween pumpkins.
Mulch your beds with 2” to 4” of compost, shredded wood, or straw. As soil temperatures rise in early summer, plants welcome mulch’s added protection, cooling cover, and water retention.
If you didn’t finish in May, now’s a good time to prune spring-flowering trees and shrubs.
Keep after weeds as much as possible during this time of year. We prefer hand weeding with a garden knife or a Japanese hoe.
Keep mowing the lawn at 3” or higher, and mow in late afternoon or early evening to conserve soil moisture. Leave clippings on lawn. If the grass is extremely long, rake the clippings and add them to the compost pile.
