June gardening part 2

The month of June is still alive and well and what a glorious month it is! Our coveted vegetables are maturing and tomatoes are beginning to ripen on the vine. Flower gardens are showing off their wares. Truly we gardeners are enjoying the fruit of our labor. Does it get any better than this? Let’s not rest on our laurels, however, for additional tasks are waiting to be done. Following is a list of things you may want to consider tackling during this prime gardening month.

There is still ample time to plant annuals for summer and fall color. Nurseries and garden centers probably have a few choice selections in stock. When planting, remember to avoid digging a hole and shoving the root system into it. Gently untangle the roots, especially those on the bottom of the root ball, to allow them to venture out into the loose soil awaiting them. Firm the soil around the roots to eliminate air pockets and water in well. Always water in new transplants.

When watering, recall that deep, less frequent applications are superior to shallow, frequent ones. The general rule remains — in the absence of rain, 1-inch of water per week for lawns and gardens. Regarding watering, a distinct advantage of drip irrigation and soaker hoses is that water is kept off the leaves of plants and applied only to the roots where it belongs. Keeping the leaves relatively dry prevents leaf diseases such as leaf spots, which weaken plants and render them unattractive.

Remember to deadhead, or regularly remove the spent flowers from, your annuals and perennials. Some will require more attention than others. Some that you will want to deadhead often are zinnias, verbena, marigolds, ageratum, Shasta daisy, rudbeckia, scabiosa, etc. Others are “self-cleaning” in that their seed pods are not as conspicuous.

Gladiolus corms, caladium tubers and dahlia tuberous roots can be planted now. These require a warm soil. Mulching these plants helps conserve moisture, reduces weeds and cools the soil. Once they have developed about five leaves, fertilize them with a complete water soluble fertilizer such as 20-20-20 or a granular one like 8-8-8 or 10-10-10.

Cut off the yellowing foliage of daffodils now. It is safe to remove if it is mostly yellow and dying and lying on the ground. This condition indicates that the leaves have completed their mission of making and storing energy for the in-ground bulbs and a rest period is about to begin.

It is again time to seriously address the issue of blossom end rot of tomatoes. Caused by a lack of calcium in the developing fruit, it can be caused by one or more of the following: (1) extreme fluctuations in soil moisture, from very wet to very dry, (2) rapid plant growth early in the season, followed by very dry weather, (3) excessive rains that smother root hairs, (4) high levels of soluble salts (fertilizer) in the soil from over fertilization, (5) cultivating too close to the plant and (6) a deficiency of calcium in the soil.

To prevent blossom-end rot, follow these guidelines: (1) Maintain uniform soil moisture by mulching and watering wisely. Apply enough water at each irrigation to wet the soil to a depth of 18 to 20 inches. Water when the soil two inches deep is barely moist; (2) avoid using high nitrogen fertilizers. Using 5-10-15 instead of 10-10-10 would be advisable. Also avoid the use of fresh manure in large amounts. Use nitrogen in the form of potassium or calcium nitrate and avoid ammonium nitrate if possible, since ammonia tends to inhibit the uptake of calcium. Applying several small side dressings is also better than applying a large amount of fertilizer at one time; (3) plant in well-drained soils. A larger, healthier root system is more able to take up calcium and other nutrients; (4) avoid cultivating deeper than one inch within one foot of the plant so as to avoid destroying valuable feeder roots.

May you be blessed in your gardening efforts in what’s left of the month of June! Tim Lewis is a Georgia Green Industry Association certified plant professional, gardening writer, former Perry High School horticulture instructor and former horticulturalist at Henderson Village and Houston Springs. He and his wife, Susan, own and operate Lewis Farms Nursery located on Highway 26, two miles east of Elko, where he was born and raised. He can be reached at (478) 954-1507 or timelewis1@windstream.net.

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