Fruit
It’s going to be a phenomenal fruit-producing summer because of our warm early spring, so plan and prepare now for a plentiful harvest.
• Thin your tree fruits this month for larger and sweeter fruit and to reduce limb damage. I know it seems extreme, but it’s necessary. Apples: thin to 6-8 inches between fruit; peaches, 6-10 inches; apricots and plums 2-4 inches; and cherries generally don’t need thinning. Thin by hand or use a pole; More:
• Protect ripening June-bearing strawberries with protective ¼- to-½-inch mesh netting. Stake well to prevent birds from getting underneath and injuring themselves. Uninvited feathery and furry friends will be helping themselves before you know it, and they won’t even thank you!
• Birds will know when your cherries are ripe before you do, so use care if using netting.
Perennials, Roses
• If your best time to enjoy your garden is in the evening after work, consider planting a “moon garden” with plants that are fragrant or open late in the day, ones with white, pale pink, yellow and cream flowers and silvery or gray foliage plants. More:
• Keep plants deadheaded (remove the spent flowers). Spent flowers may be dried and used for potpourri later in the season. There are reasons to not deadhead — if you’re saving seedheads to feed birds, or allowing rose hips to add color in fall.
• Divide spring-blooming perennials and replant in other parts of the garden or share with others. Divide in the cool of the morning or evening and water well after planting.
• Pinch back chrysanthemums weekly until the Fourth of July to keep the plant from blooming too early.
• Fertilize hybrid tea and grandiflora roses every four to six weeks with a balanced fertilizer or specially formulated rose food.
Annuals, Houseplants
• Finish planting summer bulbs including dahlia, cannas and gladiolas.
• Move houseplants outside for summer growth; allow plants to adapt to sunshine gradually. It’s a good time to repot overgrown houseplants; use quality potting soil and water well.
Birds
•Birds are hatching new broods; very little seed from outdoor plants is available right now, so continue to feed the birds.
• Clean and refill birdbaths regularly. Use mosquito dunks to destroy mosquito larvae; replace them every 30 days.
Lawn
• The most efficient time to water turf is late evening to early morning between 10 p.m. and 9 a.m.
• Check and repair sprinkler heads for poor coverage if you see dry or dead areas in the lawn.
Vegetable and Herbs
• Continue transplanting warm-season crops like tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. Shorter-season tomatoes need at least 55 to 65 days to grow, flower and fruit, so get everything planted this weekend.
• Keep lettuce and spinach harvested. Cool-season plants will soon begin to bolt (go to seed) and lose their flavor and texture. Toss them in the compost pile and plant seeds again in late summer for a fall harvest.
• Plant basil seeds now and keep the bed or container evenly moist during germination. Plant seeds every three weeks during the summer to use for pesto, salads and sandwiches. Do not let plants flower to maintain the best flavor. Be sure to harvest the leaves all summer, especially younger leaves. Pinching right above a set of leaves will make the plant bushier.
• Garlic is best planted in the fall, but now is the best time to order bulbs. Your selection will arrive at the correct fall planting time. Many local garden centers are offering more than one garlic variety; these will be available in September.
Pest Watch
• Watch for and rejoice in your garden’s natural protectors. Lady beetles and others are beginning to catch up with aphid populations.
• For a checklist of common insect related events in our area:
Betty Cahill: bettycahill@ymail.com
