June garden advice and maintenance

General gardening

• To keep weeds to a minimum, hoe borders regularly
• Watering is essential. The best time to do this is in the early evening when it is cooler and when less evaporation will occur
• Spray roses to control pests and diseases with a product such as Multirose 3-in-1 or Roseclear
• Feed tomato plants once a week as soon as fruits have formed with Tomorite or Westland Nutri Feed for Tomatoes
• Harvest vegetables including lettuce, radish and early potatoes
• Position summer hanging baskets and containers outside
• Feed bedding annuals with a liquid feed such as Miracle-Gro Liquid Feed
• Feed roses with a good granular fertiliser such as Toprose or Miracle-Gro Rose ‘Plus’
• Stake tall or floppy plants
• The lawn will require cutting weekly. If you have used chemicals on your lawn do not add the grass cuttings to the compost heap
• To improve the quality of strawberries lay straw around them and feed with a high potash food and ensure that they are watered well during dry spells
• Continue to plant container grown plants, herbaceous and roses

In the greenhouse

• Shade greenhouses to prevent plants scorching and in hot weather open the vents and dampen the floor to cool and humidify
• Feed plants at least once a week
• Continue training and feeding cucumbers and melons

Wildlife gardening

• Top up bird feeders and baths and put out food
• Keep the bird bath topped up in the heat
• Trim shrubs and hedges less frequently to allow wildlife to shelter and feed
• Put out food for hedgehogs. Do not put out bread and milk; dog food is better
• Use wildlife friendly slug pellets if chemical slug control is needed
• Leave roses that produce hips without dead-heading them