Gardening Jobs for June

It's all go in the garden come June. There's (hopefully) warmer weather and extra sunlight: two ingredients to create a colourful and bountiful garden. This month we'll start to pick crops and marvel how big things grow from such a small seed. Sadly, weeding has to take priority - otherwise they'll overrun your garden. Here are some jobs to do in the garden this month ...

In the Garden

• Plant out summer bedding in pots and borders. Remember to water them well so that they establish.

• Support tall-growing perennials like hollyhocks and delphiniums with canes.

• Pinch out the tips of fuschias and bedding plants to encourage bushier growth.

• After flowering, prune late-Spring or early-Summer shrubs like weigela.

Fruit & Vegetables

• Birds are hungry and fruits are tasty - so use a lightweight fleece to cover and protect ripening fruits like blueberries and strawberries.

• Remember to water vegetables and fruit especially if the weather is dry.

• Regularly check for snails, especially on damp evenings when they're most rampant!

• Feed fruiting vegetable crops, tomatoes, courgettes, pumpkins and chillies with tomato feed.

• For a fresh crop of new leaves, cut down a clump of chives to rejuvenate growth.

Greenhouse

• Pinch out the side shoots of tomatoes.

• If you've had a problem with vine weevil in the past, treat pots now as larvae become particularly active this month.

• Feed tomatoes weekly to bolster crop growth. Water regularly but don't over-water otherwise you could get a case of blossom end rot - and all your hard work will have gone to waste.

• Ensure there's plenty of ventilation in the greenhouse on hot days.

• If you've not already done so, sow container herbs like coriander, parsley and basil.

Other Jobs

• Where possible, use a water butt to collect rainwater - there's nothing better for plants as it's all-natural.

• Clip evergreen hedges like privet, box and yew whilst they're still in growth. But make sure you check for nesting birds first.

• Keep bird baths topped up - especially in hot weather.

• Turn your compost heap to keep it aerated.