The June Garden Checklist: Tasks to Tackle Now for a Healthier Summer Garden

As temperatures rise and plants firmly take root, June is one of the busiest and most rewarding months in the garden.
The June Garden Checklist: Tasks to Tackle Now for a Healthier Summer Garden
Seasonal garden maintenance in early summer sets the foundation for productivity during peak heat and harvest months. PIKSEL/Getty Images
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June 21 is the official start of summer this year, but you’ll be able to find new discoveries in the garden throughout the entire month. Many regions of North America are seeing lush greenery and colorful blooms, sprouting summer seeds, hot-weather transplants ready to be planted, and some veggies and greens that are already giving generous harvests. It’s a gardener’s dream season.

However, at the same time, the rising temperatures mean increased watering, weeds having growth spurts, and bugs beginning to arrive in force. Although the coming weeks can put even the savviest horticultural skills to the test, doing these simple chores now will give the garden, and the gardener, a distinct advantage.

Mulch, Mulch, Mulch

Apply long-lasting, weed-suppressing, soil-enriching, moisture-conserving organic wood chips, hardwood mulch, or pine needles around flowering plants, ornamentals, shrubs, and trees. The goal is a two- to three-inch layer, with a two- to three-inch gap around the plant stem or tree trunk to avoid creating an area conducive to fungus, bacteria, and rot.
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Sandy Lindsey
Sandy Lindsey
Author
Sandy Lindsey is an award-winning writer who covers home, gardening, DIY projects, pets, and boating. She has two books with McGraw-Hill.