Planting In June – There are plenty of flowers, plants and shrubs that are best planted in June. Summer blossoms and greenery offer gardeners a generous grace period to ensure that your yard is looking lovely for those summer barbecues or during the prime home selling season.
Keep in mind that gardening is a year-round endeavor and, just like dating or job hunting, timing really is everything. Many gardening dates are pretty arbitrary – such as those avid gardeners who swear sweet peas have to be sown before Valentine’s Day or others who think Memorial Day Weekend is the cutoff for summer planting. June isn’t too late to consider these gorgeous additions to your yard or garden, all of which are perfectly suited for the summer heat.
Choices galore
Some fruiting plants, such as eggplants and tomatoes, are best planted earlier in the year for a slower process (and so you can enjoy caring for them longer), but the reality is that summer heat simply takes them from seed to fruit faster. Seeds will virtually explode out of the soil if you plant during warmer weather. Now’s the time for pumpkins, carrots, scallions, squashes, melons, beets and chard. In fact, you’ll have so many goodies that a veritable salad bar can be planted in your garden.
Consider planting for cooking purposes, such as your favorite stir fry mix or a variety of mustards together. Salad combinations including herbs like oregano, sage, basil and chives are great summer herbs. They just love the heat and sun, and if you plant them close to the front door, you can enjoy a fragrant welcome, too. The best summer plants are often edible.
Quite the crop
You can even start a second crop planting in June if you were really on top of things in the spring. Two beautiful harvests are better than one. Many gardeners seed each month through August for items like lettuce, kale, broccoli and carrots. However, if you want more blossoms in your back yard, it’s not too late to plant some favorite summer perennials. In fact, plant summer flowers “late” and you can enjoy them longer.
Easy summer growths include royal purple smoke bush, French lilac, bleeding hearts and pink lilies of the valley. Annuals like sunflowers (of course), zinnias, marigolds and nasturtiums, to name just a few, are also great late options. If you’ve noticed that your annuals often “burn out” by the end of summer, waiting until June puts the timing on your schedule. After all, you need a lush garden for those Labor Day parties, and planning starts right now.
Look ahead
Except planting in June, it’s also time to start planning for next summer already, so consider 2014 your test year. Which plants and flowers work for you and which don’t? Can you start working towards a future design, such as new walkways or incorporating more pots into your overall garden? Gardening is, thankfully, a process – enjoy it.
