What to do during June in your garden

A list of gardening jobs and tasks to take care of this month.

 As we head into June, we welcome the height of summer and the longest day of the year. The longer days and warmer temperatures make our gardens grow fast - cultivated plants and weeds alike!

Keep on top of weeding, watering, deadheading, mowing the lawn and feeding potted plants this month. Make time to sit in the garden too, and take note of the plants as they come into flower. You won't want to miss anything!

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Below is a list of some of the gardening tasks to take care of this month. You can download my FREE June Gardening Checklist* here or read on to stay on track.

• Lift tulips -

Now the tulip foliage has completely faded, lift bulbs and store them for replanting in autumn.

• Keep staking perennials -

Use sturdy canes, sticks or purpose-made stakes to support tall perennials such as delphiniums and hollyhocks.

• Continue planting summer bedding plants -

Fill in gaps in pots and borders to create colourful displays.

• Cut back perennials -

As Spring flowering perennials fade, cut them back to encourage a second flush of flowers.

• Tie-in roses -

Encourage more flowers on climbing roses by tying in stems, horizontally, to supports.

• Pinch out -

Pinching out the tips of bedding plants helps to promote busier growth (and therefore, more flowers!).

• Prune spring-flowering shrubs -

After flowering, prune shrubs such as weigela and ribes to maintain the shape, size and health of the plant.

• Put tender plants outside -

Now the last frost has passed, put houseplants, tender plants and succulents outside for the summer.

• Sow biennials -

Sow foxgloves, honesty, wallflowers and forget-me-nots for flowers in two years.

• Keep watering -

Water pots daily (unless it's rained hard), and borders as required. Ideally early in the morning or late in the evening when the sun is less strong.

• Take summer cuttings -

Take softwood cuttings from plants such as hydrangeas and pelargoniums.

• Stake dahlias -

Give large bloomed dahlias adequate support. Provide homemade supports or purpose-bought structures, and put them in place before the plants grow to their full size.

• Continue weeding -

Keep on top of the weeds. Remove tough perennials by hand, making sure you remove the whole root. Hoe annual weeds regularly before they set seed.

• Deadhead plants regularly -

As blooms fade on roses and peonies, remove them to encourage repeat flowering.