June 2006

    Well, summer is almost here and all of you gardeners should be taking these first two weeks of June to finish all of your spring planting. As the temps get warmer you should pay particular attention to new plantings. While plants may wilt in the hot afternoon sun, they should perk up in the evening when the sun has gone and the temperature starts to drop. If plants are wilted in the morning or in the evening - they are telling you that they need water! When planting new plants, you should add 2 inches of compost either before or when planting. Make sure that you dig in 4 inches and you will get stronger healthier plants that are able to resist diseases and pests.

   For your container gardens you should be using large pots, as they will hold more moisture and will require less watering. Glazed pots or some of the new plastic ones will also hold in more moisture that traditional terra cotta pots. An alternative is to put a smaller pot inside a large pot with leaves or other mulch between to keep the moisture in.

   If you are looking for annual plants that are easy for children to grow try begonias, impatiens, marigolds, cleomes (spider flower) and petunias.

   When buying flowering plants for your garden, look for plants that are native. Not only will they give you nice blooms – but you will also attract wildlife to you yard...like - hummingbirds, butterflies, bees and beneficial insects. Most Phlox are native to the USA as are bee balm, coreopsis, physostegia (obedient plant) , black-eyed Susan(rudbeckia) and asters .

   You should avoid any plants listed on the Connecticut Invasive Plant List such as purple loosestrife, garden loosestrife, goutweed (aegopodium) yellow iris (Iris pseudacorus) and multiflora rose.

   As the season progresses remember to keep on weeding! Weeds can crowd you plants and take precious water and nutrients from the soil - so get rid of them! As some of your plants finish flowering (particularly those that are prolific reseeders - like columbine (Aquilegia) and beebalm (Monardia) deadhead them!

   June is the month for garden tours. Get out to one or more. You'll come home inspired with lots of ideas as well as enjoying the beauty. You will see ads for these in all of the local newspapers. Remember that June is the best month for roses - take a ride up to Elizabeth Park in Hartford and enjoy!

Happy Gardening