CCCEC Home, Lawn, and Garden Tips for June

LENOIR, NC (June 4, 2020) — Home, Lawn, and Garden Tips for June from the Caldwell County Cooperative Extension Center.

Plants in Flower
• Southern Magnolia, Golden Rain Tree, Mimosa, Smoketree, Rosebay Rhododendron, Oakleaf Hydrangea, Sweet Azalea, Gardenia, Rose, Summer Spirea, Florist Hydrangea, Yucca, Gumpo and Satsuki Azaleas, Hypericum, Trumpet Creeper, Phlox, Butterfly Weed, Daylily, Balloon Flower, Stokesia, Coreopsis, Poppy, Canna, Red Hot Poker, Rose-of-Sharon, and summer annuals.

Fertilizing
• Fertilize or sidedress your vegetables as needed.
• Fertilize tomatoes and cucumbers monthly with 5-10-10.

Planting
• Start plants in June of brussels sprouts and collards for transplanting into the garden in mid-July.
• Plant the following vegetables in your garden in June: beans, lima beans, southern peas, pepper, sweet potato, pumpkin and tomato.
• Plant tomatoes late this month for fall harvesting.

Pruning
• Late June is the recommended time to prune white pine. Trim new growth only.
• Prune narrowleaf evergreens like juniper and arborvitae..
• Prune the bigleaf or florist hydrangea when the flowers fade.
• Trim hedges as needed.
• Remove water sprouts on any fruit trees and crabapple.
• Cut off the faded flowers of phlox, shasta daisy and daylily to encourage a second flowering.
• Trim dried up foliage of your spring flowering bulbs.
• Prune out dieback on hybrid rhododendron, azalea, mountain laurel, and blueberry.
• Pinch your chrysanthemums to encourage branching.
• Prune out all dead and damaged wood from trees and shrubs.

Spraying
• Spray the following landscape shrubs for the following insect pests: arborvitae- bag worm, boxwood- leaf miner, crapemyrtle – aphid, hemlock – spider mites, and pyracantha – lace bug.
• Spray for Japanese beetles as needed.
• Spray the following vegetables if insects are observed: cucumber (cucumber beetle), squash (squash borers and aphids), tomato and eggplant (flea beetle), broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower (worms).
• Keep spraying your tree fruits and bunch grapes with a pest control program.
• Check your asparagus plants for the asparagus beetle. Spray with the recommended insecticide if beetles are observed.
• Continue with rose spray program.
• Watch for dark brown spots on your tomato leaves. If observed, spray with a fungicide for early blight.
• Spray herbicides on the following woody weeds: poison ivy, honeysuckle and kudzu.
• Use pesticides sparingly. Spray only when needed.

Lawn Care
• Continue fertilizing zoysia this month. Do NOT fertilize tall fescue and bluegrass now.
• Start zoysia in June.
• Mow lawn in morning to reduce chance of starting brown spot.

Propagation
• Late June is the ideal time to take semi-hardwood cuttings. Azaleas, cotoneaster, camellia, holly, pieris, red-tip photinia and rhododendron cuttings should be taken in June or July.

Specific Chores
• Build a coldframe for rooting your shrub cuttings.
• Renovate your strawberry bed after the berry harvest is completed.
• Water your favorite plants during periods of dry weather. Water early in the morning. Watering late in the day encourages plant disease growth.
• Vegetable gardens need 1 inch of water per week.

Caldwell County Cooperative Extension