It might seem early in the season for motivational slogans or pick-me-ups, but for the gardeners who need to hear it: Keep Trying, It Will Get Better. Maybe one of those gardeners is Ben.
Ben, because he is just past the one-year anniversary in his new Guelph garden which can be a challenging stage in the journey. A year of hard work, and seemingly little to show for the fortune spent on new perennials and shrubs that have yet to start crowding out the weeds. Experienced gardeners know that with persistence, and “the right plant, in the right place”, the garden comes back stronger and more reflective of its steward year after year. Surely, Ben isn’t the only one needing this reminder?
With that in mind, and an eye to the longer vision, we set about our June to-do list in the gardens we wish to create.
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GARDEN THINGS TO DO IN JUNE |
Spread 3 to 4 cm of shredded cedar or pine bark mulch to reduce weeding by 90% and watering by 70%.
Stake and support peonies, hydrangeas and, later in the month, delphiniums.
Feed roses with Green Earth Rose and Perennial food.
Provide support for the flowering clematis in your garden.
Water deeply, but not too often. Rather than watering each day for a short while, apply lots of water less frequently and let the soil become dry about 3 cm below the surface between applications. Your plants will perform better, you will use less water and you will do less work.
Set up rain barrels at your down spouts. Rainwater is 30 to 40% oxygen charged. All plants perform better when watered with rainwater.
It is not too late to sow seeds for fast germinating flowers and veggies. Sunflowers, zinnias, asters, nasturtiums, calendula, peas, beans, radishes and carrots can be sown now with expectations of a full crop before the end of the season.
Plant. There was a time when almost all planting took place in April and May. With the containerization of plants, we now plant all summer long. The selection at your favourite local retailer is still impressive but wears down as each day passes in June. The earlier you get out there, the better.
Weed. Hoe them down while they are young and save yourself a tonne of work this summer when the pigweed and thistles become 'trees'.
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WHAT TO DO IN THE FOOD GARDEN |
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Unlike the native perennial garden Ben is trying to establish under shade, the vegetable garden is off to a vigorous start. Here are some things to do in the June vegetable garden:
Harvest those strawberries! Early summer’s sweetest treat, we can’t get enough. When your strawberry plants are no longer producing, mow them down on the highest setting of the lawnmower to avoid damaging the crowns then add a generous layer of compost so they can rejuvenate through the growing season.
Plant your last transplants – they should be in by now!
Carrots, beets, beans, leaf lettuce, bib lettuce, mesclun mix, radishes can all be direct-sown for a succession of later harvests.
Spray your fruit trees with with End-All and Garden Sulphur, and again every two weeks until the end of summer. The earlier you start with this safe treatment, the more effective it will be at keeping insects and disease at bay.
Cover your modest cucumbers, squash, and brassicas with either netting or diatomaceous earth to protect them from beetles or insect infestations.
Cut those garlic scapes! That’s what the pigtail growing out of your garlic is called. Not only will it give you larger garlic bulbs, the scapes are delicious when grilled like fiddleheads or ground into pesto. That is, if you like garlic!
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RECIPE FOR THE BEST TOMATOES ON THE BLOCK |
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1. Buy short, stocky plants with dark green foliage.
2. Plant in the ground once the temperatures are a minimum of 20oC.
3. Dig a hole about the size of a half bushel, or 3 shovels full. Dig existing soil into another part of your garden.
4. Fill the hole with triple mix (one third topsoil, one third peat moss and one third compost or composted cattle/steer manure).
5. Plant the tomato up to the second set of real leaves - deeply. And push the soil firmly around the main stem of the tomato to give the soil and plant contact. New roots will develop along the stem, producing a stronger plant.
6. Mark uses straw as mulch around his tomatoes. Spread the straw about 25 cm deep per plant. Straw mulch helps to retain needed moisture during the hot, dry spells of summer and reduces weeds dramatically.
7. Water using a compost tea solution (take an old pillowcase half filled with compost, drop it in your rail barrel and leave it there for 24 hours or a week - but no longer or it will begin to stink). OR Fertilize with your favourite tomato food. Keep in mind that tomatoes are heavy feeders.
8. Stake in mid June using a spiral aluminum stake. No tying, no fuss. Timing is everything - get to this job before the tomatoes begin to bloom as you will double your crop as a result of getting them off the ground. Staking your tomatoes reduces the risk of diseases and insects.
9. Apply Green Earth Bordo Copper Spray in July to prevent the #1 enemy of healthy tomatoes - early blight. Bordo Copper Spray is a copper fungicide which is mixed with water. Use it on fruit trees, ornamentals and vegetable crops to control leaf spots, blights, anthracnose, downy and powdery mildew and black spot.
Tomatoes like plenty of sun - a full eight hours a day, in fact. They also like heat and shelter from the wind. They are heavy feeders so the soil should be rich with organic material at planting time. Water at least twice a week for the first 6 weeks or so, more frequently if the weather is hot and dry.
Harvest often - do not allow fruit to rot on the plants. This will slow fruit production and is an invitation to insects and diseases.
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BIRDS IN FOCUS:
Birds Canada Birdathon
By: Jody Allair
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For those who have been following along with my column over the years, I’ve written a lot about my favourite yard birds, highlighted conservation issues and provided tips that people can use to help protect and conserve birds at home. This month I want to draw attention to a very important fundraiser – the Birds Canada Birdathon.
On Saturday June 3, 2023 I will be participating in the Birds Canada Birdathon to raise funds that will help conserve and protect Canada’s wild birds. This year I will be birding around the prairies and badlands of southern Alberta with my friend and colleague Yousif Attia. All donors to our Birdathon will receive species highlights as well as some photos from our day of birding.
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For over 20 years I have been taking part in this important fundraiser. All proceeds from the Birdathon help sustain conservation programs and initiatives through Birds Canada that are making a real difference for birds. The Birdathon also supports the James L. Baillie Fund and dozens of conservation groups all across Canada.
All donors will receive a tax receipt along with a summary of our birding highlights.
For those interested in following along on social media, you can follow me on Twitter and Instagram at @JodyAllair. We are planning on doing some fun stuff on social media during the day – stay tuned!
Good Birding!
Jody Allair
Director, Community Engagement
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THROUGH THE GARDEN GATE
Something for GTA gardeners to look forward to in June is Through the Garden Gate: Riverdale! That’s right, Canada’s largest tour of private gardens benefitting the Toronto Botanical Garden is in Toronto’s hip Riverdale neighbourhood this year on June 10th & 11th, from 11am to 4pm.
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We are offering a chance to win free tickets by joining our “Through the Garden Gate” photo competition. Simply post a picture of your garden to Facebook or Instagram with the caption “Here’s a picture of my garden, “Through the Garden Gate”! Looking forward to the Through the Garden Gate garden tour June 10th and 11th in Riverdale”.
Make sure to tag Toronto Botanical Garden (@tbg_canada) and Mark Cullen Gardening (@markcullengardening on Instagram, “Mark Cullen, Canada’s Gardening Guru” on Facebook) for your chance to win TWO of 10 available weekend passes. Deadline to enter the contest is June 5, 2023.
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HARROWSMITH MAGAZINE – Feature Recipe
Harrowsmith’s Best Spring Harvest Recipes
Indulge in a collection of vibrant spring recipes that captures the season’s best flavours. This delightful compilation features a succulent whole roast grilled chicken, tender asparagus spears, delicate fiddleheads, and luscious eggs. Let the season’s freshness and these mouth-watering recipes take centre stage at your table. |
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Don’t miss an issue of Harrowsmith’s gardening, cooking, sustainable living and DIY tips. Harrowsmith’s Summer Issue is on newsstands now. It features fresh & easy pasta dinners, how to refinish furniture in a weekend, how to make a solar generator, planet-friendly-activities, easy care flowing plants, everything you need to know to grow a wildflower garden that is perfect for pollinators from Mark and Ben Cullen + so much more!
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