Regional reminders for June 11

[Maria]

New England

Fertilize With Epsom Salts

There's evidence that fruiting of tomatoes and peppers is improved by applying Epsom salts, which contains sulfur and magnesium. Apply 1 tablespoon of granules around each transplant, or spray a solution of 1 tablespoon Epsom salts per gallon of water at transplanting, first flowering, and fruit set. You can find it at drug and grocery stores.
Prune Early-Blooming Clematis

If your clematis blooms only in spring, once it's finished blooming you can prune damaged and wayward stems, and cut back stems if you need to control the size of the vine. Leave the decorative seed heads.
Deadhead Early Bloomers

Once early summer perennials, such as peonies and foxgloves, have finished blooming, take the time to clip off the spent flowers to spare the plant the energy it would spend on forming seeds. That is, unless you plan to save the seed and do some propagating of your own. In that case, leave some seedheads until they turn dry and collect the seeds before the wind and the birds get to them.
Raise Containers Off the Ground

To allow good drainage in your container plantings, raise the pots off the ground or deck so water can seep out the drainage holes. This also will reduce the staining that can occur when pots sit directly on wooden steps or a deck. You can purchase pot feet from garden supply stores, or make your own using flat stones of similar size, rubber bumpers from the hardware store, or even old checkers from the game you never play anymore. Anything that will elevate the pot a bit should work.
Fertilize Flowers

With all the rain we've been having, nutrients may need to be replenished in your garden soil and in containers. Dilute a liquid fertilizer and spray the foliage, then water the soil with the solution. Always fertilizer when the soil is already moist or the nutrients can damage roots.

[Maria]

UPPER SOUTH

Divide and Replant Iris

The tall bearded iris, often called German iris, thrive on being divided and replanted at least every three years into newly reconditioned soil. The best time to do this is about four to six weeks after blooming, as the plants are entering a period of partial dormancy before gearing up again in late summer and fall. Cut leaves back to about 8 inches, dig up the clump, and break apart the rhizomes, keeping the newest and healthiest ones. Let the rhizomes air dry several days before replanting and watering in thoroughly.
Maximize Self-Sowing Annuals

The cottage-garden look can be encouraged by removing the seed pods of self-sowing annuals as they ripen and sprinkling them where you'd like some volunteers to grow. Seeds sown this year will grow and bloom next year. Just remember that you can't use pre-emergent herbicides where you sow seeds. Some of the annuals to consider include love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena), spider flower (cleome), forget-me-nots (Myosotis sylvatica), cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus), pot marigolds (Calendula officinalis), flowering tobacco (Nicotiana alata).
Watch for Plant Sales

Container-grown and balled-and-burlapped trees, shrubs, and perennials can be planted throughout the growing season, but as hot weather approaches, garden centers often have sales to encourage customers to come in once the spring rush is over. The key to having success when planting now is to remember to keep the plants well watered all summer. Try to plant just before rain is expected or on cloudy, cooler days. Don't waste your money on plants that haven't been well tended.
Don't Give Up on Planting Vegetables

In many parts of our region, spring has been a bit odd, with May being cold and damp, then the weather turning very hot. If you find yourself a bit behind in getting the vegetable garden planted, don't despair. Many summer crops, including ones best started from direct sowing, such as beans, summer squash, okra, chard, and beets, as well as tomato, pepper, and eggplant transplants, can be planted up through early July. Just be sure to water the seeds in well. Don't panic if transplants wilt; just water them well and put a cardboard box over them during the day, removing it at night, until they get established.
Stake Flowers

Some flowers have a tendency to flop, including fall-blooming sedums, delphiniums, tricyrtis, and lilies. Providing some type of staking helps to prevent this. Lots of different staking paraphernalia is available at garden centers or by mail order. One of the handiest is the circle with criss-crossing rods. For lilies, try staking each one with an individual stake. You can make homemade supports with inexpensive bamboo and string. Whatever you choose, take care not to damage roots or stems when installing the supports.

[Maria]

MIDDLE SOUTH

Nurture Geraniums

Geraniums bloom in cycles, and it's important to keep them from resting too long between bursts of bloom. To keep the flower clusters coming, clip off old blossoms weekly and regularly fertilize plants growing in containers.
Root Cuttings

Increase your supply of coleus, mint, lemon balm, and many other herbs by rooting stem cuttings. Take a cutting about 4 inches long, remove lower leaves, and trim large leaves in half to reduce wilting. Then poke a hole in a container of moist potting soil and stick in the cutting. Firm the soil lightly, then place the pots out of direct sunlight and cover loosely with clear plastic. The plants should form roots and start producing new growth in a few weeks.
Prune Roses

Help hybrid teas and other reblooming roses make a quick comeback by pruning off old flowers. After pruning, inspect and treat outbreaks of black spot. Some roses won't rebloom no matter what you do, so don't despair if you don't see new buds forming.
Maintain Your Lawn Mower

Each time you mow, remember to check your lawn mower's oil level and change it regularly, according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Also check the blade and replace it if it's dull or badly chipped. A dull blade shreds grass, leaving it prone to disease problems.
Harvest Blueberries

Blueberries easy to pick, a cinch to freeze, and always delicious to eat. Plus, blueberries are among the most nutritious fruits. If you don't grow blueberries in your garden, look for a pick-your-own farm to patronize.

[Maria]

LOWER SOUTH

Combat Powdery Mildew

Powdery mildew has been especially prevalent on our southern roses, crape myrtles, rock rose (Pavonia), squash, and melons this season. Regular sprays with a preventative product are required for effective control. Some low-toxicity options are sprays containing sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), potassium bicarbonate, and neem oil. Read and follow label directions carefully to prevent injury to plants.
Watch for Webworms

Keep an eye out for webworms in landscape trees. Take a long bamboo pole and tear up their webs. Wasps will arrive soon after that to haul away the spoils. If wasps do not take over, a spray containing Bt works well if you can direct it to the leaves where they are feeding. These webworms will have another generation in late summer or fall that can be much more of a problem.
Mow Regularly For a Beautiful Lawn

The single most important part of building a beautiful lawn is to mow it frequently. Infrequent mowing is stressful to the turf and leaves the lawn unsightly after mowing. Mow every 5 to 7 days for a dense, attractive lawn. During the hot summer months, don't push turf with too much fertilizer or it will be more prone to drought stress and attack from chinch bugs.
Keep an Eye Out for Scale

Watch for scale on fruit trees and many woody ornamental plants. These pests are difficult to control and often require both dormant season treatment and periodic summer sprays with an appropriate product to prevent outbreaks. Plants that had scale in the winter should be watched and retreated as needed with carefully directed summer or horticultural oil sprays, not dormant oil.
Don't Overwater

Unless a plant is designed to grow in a bog, be careful not to over-water. Many of our southern plants are able to take the saunas of summer as long as their roots are moist but well aerated. Soggy soil plus hot weather is the kiss of death for many plants. Give them a good soaking and then allow the soil to dry a bit before watering them again. As the soil dries and water moves out, air is pulled into the soil to replace it.

[Maria]

COASTAL AND TROPICAL SOUTH

Fertilize Roses

Once shrub roses have bloomed a flush or two, it's time to fertilize them. Established vigorous roses like 'Mermaid' or 'Old Blush' may not need much, but stronger stems and leaves mean more flowers next year. Use a formula such as 5-10-10, with less nitrogen and more phosphorus and potassium.
Patch Lawns

Lawns in our region sometimes suffer salt water intrusion and look awful. They usually recover, but too often the rebound doesn't last and dead spots appear, seemingly at random. If the turf comes up in your hand, the roots are dead. Test other areas to be sure they are well-rooted before patching the damage.
Check for Canna Leaf Rollers

When cannas can't unfurl their leaves or open their flowers, the culprit is usually the canna leaf roller. Mother moth lays eggs in the debris at the base of the plant, then the larvae hatch and spin themselves into the leaves. Cut down the damaged stalks and destroy them, don't compost them.
Seed Zinnias

For colorful cut flowers in just a few weeks, plant zinnias from seed anytime this month. Work up the soil lightly by turning it over with a shovel, then raking it smooth with a stiff-tined garden rake. Press seed into the soil 1/4 inch deep, and keep watered until they sprout.
Protect Tomatoes From Animals

All your hard work can be for naught if squirrels and birds get the tomatoes first. Fake owls, plastic snakes, and metal or glass hanging diversions may work at first, but the crop lasts longer than their effects. Pick fruit as soon as the "shoulders" are bright pink, and ripen them inside.

[Maria]

MID-ATLANTIC

Let in Light and Air

By now on the East Coast, lots of roses have mildew or black spot on the leaves. Prevention through good cultural conditions -- selecting disease-resistant cultivars and planting where there are 8 hours or more of sunlight and good air circulation -- is the best approach. As this is not the time to move roses, consider removing nearby tree and shrub branches to increase light and air flow.
Use Organic Control for Mildew and Other Diseases

Try an organic control against mildew on roses and perennials, even food crops. Serenade's Bacillus subtilis is a biofungicide for powdery mildew, downy mildew, bacterial spot, rust, and more. It stops plant pathogen spores from germinating and disrupts pathogen growth.
Spray Sooner Rather Than Later

Despite initial cynicism, I've seen the light -- rather the roses and phlox with AND without white mildew. Two seasons using EDEN Bioscience's Messenger convinced me that early-season spraying nearly stops mildew and black spot; belated spraying on mildew-covered foliage doesn't kill fungi but subsequent new growth is healthy. Messenger uses harpin proteins (derived from fireblight) to stimulate a plant's natural reactions of disease resistance, growth, and flowering.
Prune Off Spent Lilac Flowers

Remove dead lilac flower clusters by pruning just above a node (where leaf joins stem). Then remove older or crowded branches with a pruning cut at the base of the shrub. That's right, squat or bend over to reach inside the shrub just above the soil, and clip the branch low. Also prune off crossing or damaged branches. Leave the strong, healthy branch; remove the broken, spindly, or weak one.
Pinch for Bushiness

Pinching off the stem tip on basil, mums, and sweet potato vines will make the plants grow more bushy. In northern climes, pinching or pruning off the summer phlox's stem tip right now also will promote bushy growth without flower loss. Doing it much later, though, will remove flower buds.

[Maria]

NORTHERN & CENTRAL MIDWEST

Spread Mulch

If you haven't mulched yet, but sure to do it now. Weed and water flower beds, trees, and shrubs, and then apply 2 to 4 inches of shredded bark, cocoa bean hulls, shredded leaves, or other organic mulch. Mulch will help keep those weeds away, as well as keep the soil beneath moist.
Fertilize Container Annuals

Annual flowers should be coming into full bloom by now, so remember to fertilize flowers in containers, baskets, and window boxes with a dilute solution of balanced fertilizer about every 7 to 10 days. Remember to soak the soil with water before fertilizing.
Pinch Herbs

Herbs benefit from having the new growth pinched, and you can use the sprigs in the kitchen. This keeps them from blooming and intensifies the flavor in the leaves. Cut herbs periodically during the summer to dry or freeze to avoid the last-minute rush in the fall to preserve them for winter.
Weed the Vegetable Garden

Keep ahead of weeds in the vegetable garden to avoid competition. Most vegetables need all the moisture and nutrients they can get, so carefully slice weeds off just below the soil surface. You can also spot-treat troublesome weeds with a spray of white vinegar or with boiling water.
Watch for Iris Borer

Watch your iris for spots that look like water streaks on the leaves. This usually indicates iris borer larvae. If you see streaking, find the small borer and destroy it. Through the season, if you see iris damaged by borers and the bacterial rot they carry, destroy that plant, tuber and all. Consider beneficial nematodes for further control.

[Maria]

WESTERN MOUNTAINS & HIGH PLAINS

Spread Mulch

If you haven't mulched around vegetables and fruit plantings, now is the time to do so. Once the soil has warmed, continued heat can harm roots that are close to the surface. This problem can be tempered with an organic mulch. Dried grass clippings (from lawns that are not treated with weed killers), clean wheat straw, and coarse compost will work well as mulch. Mulch also helps conserve water and suppress weed growth.
Check Bramble Fruits for Pests

Inspect your raspberry garden on a regular basis for damage from the stem borer. Symptoms of wilted tips indicates possible borer invasion. Just grasp the cane and bend it over. It will snap right off at the point where this insect pest is working. This can save pruning it off inch by inch until you come to a point where the cane has a white pith instead of brown residue left by the borer.
Cultivate and Hill Sweet Corn

Although sweet corn plants make their own brace roots, corn will topple in high winds that accompany summer thunderstorms. Pull soil up around the stems with your hoe to give the plants extra support.
Try Growing Celery

Protect celery plants by placing bottomless, 2-quart cardboard milk cartons over them. The protective waxed boxes will support the plants in bundles that will turn more tender and crisp when you dig the plants. As soon as the tops stop growing, harvest and wash the plants and store them in plastic bags in the refrigerator vegetable crisper. Celery will keep well into autumn.
Fertilize Vegetables

Fertilize peppers and eggplant since these vegetable crops are slow to grow in our region. (They prefer lots of heat.) Mix an all-purpose 5-10-5 fertilizer into the soil around the base of the plants, and water in well.

[Maria]

SOUTHWESTERN DESERT

Provide Water for Birds

If you don't already have a water feature, consider adding one to provide for native birds. Moving water stays fresh longer than still water, and the sound of water -- even a small drip -- attracts birds. If you have a bird bath, scrub it clean several times per week to prevent the spread of disease. Use a 10 percent bleach solution (1 part bleach and 9 parts water) to disinfect.
Replenish Mulch

Ensure that several inches of organic mulch, such as compost or dried leaves, surround plants. Mulch reduces soil temperatures, helping to keep roots cool. It maintains soil moisture, reducing water loss. Mulch also inhibits weed growth.
Water Citrus Trees

Citrus fruit development later in the year is based upon consistent soil moisture now and through the summer. Water mature trees to a depth of 3 feet at the tree's dripline, or canopy edge, every 10 to 14 days. Water newly planted trees to a depth of 18 to 24 inches every 5 to 7 days.
Plant Summer Color

Transplant these heat-loving flowers, all of which bloom prodigiously through summer: angelita daisies, cosmos, coreopsis, desert marigolds, Mexican hat, gaillardia, zinnias, lantana, sunflowers, and verbena.
Monitor Water Needs of Cacti

Look for signs of wrinkling or shriveling, which indicates the cactus is stressed for water. Give cacti a deep soaking (1 to 2 feet deep) once per month in summer. If summer rains are heavy, it may not be necessary.

[Maria]

PACIFIC NORTHWEST

Discourage Aphids

Ants crawling on garden plants are a sign that aphids are present. Some ant species protect aphids, moving them from plant to plant, and even taking them underground into the anthill for overnight safety. The ants do this to ensure a supply of honeydew, a sugary substance secreted by the aphids, on which the ants feed. Discourage aphids by hosing them off your plants with a strong steam of water. Ants will probably move on when there are no more aphids to herd.
Water Thoroughly

Give your plants a long, deep drink of water in the early morning hours so they're refreshed and ready to face the heat of day. Watering in the morning allows the leaves to dry off before nightfall, helping avoid the conditions that favor the development of fungal diseases. You can conserve slow evaporation by adding a 2-inch layer of organic matter over the soil in your beds. As an added bonus, mulch provides nutrients to the soil as it decomposes.
Thin Apples

Fruit trees often set more fruit than they can mature. Trees go through a natural thinning process in early June, dropping fruits that haven't been properly fertilized. After this natural fruit drop, hand-thin remaining fruits, leaving only one or two per cluster. With less competition for nutrients and water, these remaining fruits will be larger and better quality.
Build a Flower Basket

Hanging flower baskets are great for putting color right at eye level. Select a container that's about 12 inches in diameter to create a large, full display. Fill it with light, loose, moistened potting soil, then plant. Baskets can be devoted to one plant or a combination of greenery and flowers. Suitable plants for containers include trailing or cascading ivy, vinca, thyme, and mint. For color, grow impatiens, verbena, dwarf marigolds, or creeping petunias.
Prevent Bitterness in Cucumbers

Cucumbers develop a bitter taste if the soil is not kept consistently moist. The bitterness is just below the skin and mostly on the ends. Cut or peel these areas away to remove the bitter taste. Mulching the soil around your cucumber plants will help regulate moisture levels and prevent bitterness in the fruit.

[Maria]

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COASTAL & INLAND VALLEYS

Pinch Fuchsias

Fuchsias bloom on new growth. To keep them looking spectacular throughout the summer, pinch the tips from the ends of the branches once the flowers begin to fade. Fertilize with 14-14-14 every three to four weeks during the growing season.
Groom Grasses

Ornamental grasses add a natural feel to a garden, however they tend to become messy-looking midseason. Cut the actively growing grass down to the base, then fertilize with 36-0-0 to promote a lush burst of new growth.
Plant Tomatoes

Plant tomatoes now in a site with full sun. They should be planted deeply to promote root growth along the stems. Remove all but the top two sets of leaves and bury the plant up to the bottom set of leaves. This means you may have to dig a hole 12 to 18 inches deep. Tomatoes require rich, fast-draining soil and infrequent deep watering. Try a new variety, if you dare!
Control Mole Food

Are moles tunneling in your lawn and driving you crazy? They are searching for yummy grubs and earthworms. If you eliminate their source of food, they will go elsewhere to dine. Mix 1 tablespoon of insecticidal soap in a 2-1/2-gallon watering can. Apply directly to the turf at high noon (when the earthworms are deep underground) to kill grubs before they hatch into beetles.
Foliar Feed Indoor Plants

Give your houseplants a treat by foliar feeding. I use a ready-made product from Fish Pharm called Salmon Plant Food. It's a little stinky, but if you open the windows for a while, you won't notice, and your indoor plants will thank you. Plants take in nutrients through the leaves as well as through the root system. Foliar feeding is a good way to get the nutrients where they are needed most.

[Maria]

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COASTAL & INLAND VALLEYS


Put in Transplants

June is the last month for getting transplants established before our summer burn. Choose transplants that aren't rootbound. Confined roots can't spread out fast enough to absorb enough moisture and nutrients to survive summer heat, so they often wilt or die. Gently loosen the rootballs of transplants before planting them so roots can quickly reach out into surrounding soil to establish themselves. If roots circle the bottom of the pot, cut them off so they'll grow straight out into the soil.
Plant Successive Crops

When replanting areas where you've just grown vegetables, follow heavy-feeding leafy vegetables like spinach and cabbage with nitrogen-replenishing legumes such as peas, beans, and soybeans; or plant a less-demanding root crop. Don't fertilize the soil again before succession plantings of beans or carrots, since excess nitrogen results in forked and hairy carrots and lush bean plants with few beans.
Foil Snails and Slugs

Protect vining vegetables from snails and slugs by lifting the fruits up onto cans, berry baskets, or boards. Also, spread crushed eggshells under each plant because the snails and slugs will avoid the sharp particles.
Be Selective When Spreading Manure

Manure can be applied as mulch directly onto globe artichokes, asparagus, cabbages and other cole crops, corn, cucumbers, melons, and squashes. But keep it away from beans, beets, carrots, lettuces, peas, sweet and white potatoes, and tomatoes, or it will encourage too much foliage at the expense of the edible parts we want.
Keep Deadheading




Pinch back tips and faded blooms from alyssum, tuberous begonias, carnations, chrysanthemums, dianthus, delphiniums, fuchsias, geraniums, hydrangeas, lobelia, marguerites, and penstemons to encourage bushier growth and more flowers.