Birds and Wildlife
- To attract butterflies, you can plant coral vine, blue plumbago, butterfly weed, lantana, purple coneflower and yarrow. Yes, the critters will eat the plants, but the plants will come right back.
Vegetables
- Vegetables to plant now will include black‑eyed peas, okra, sweet corn, cucumbers, peppers, New Zealand “spinach” and squash.
- You can still plant eggplant and okra for mid-summer vegetables.
- Use Bt or Spinosad to control hornworms, fruit-eating pinworms, and other caterpillars.
- Pull non-producing plants—especially the tomatoes–before diseases and spider mites move in.
- Powdery mildew will probably take the vine plants this month. Pull them out and wait for fall.
Color
- If you’re looking for color for the hot part of the summer, consider periwinkles, esperanza, firebush, zinnias, poinciana, portulaca, purslane, or lantana.
- Plant vincas in full sun.
- Shade plants include coleus, caladiums, firespike and begonias.
- Moss rose and purslane are showy all month long in full sun.
- Keep up the fertilizer on the roses.
Shade Trees and Shrubs
- Newly planted trees need deep watering by hand when the soil dries to one inch.
- Remember to mulch 2-3 inches deep around new trees so that they don’t have to compete with grass. Leave 6” clearance around the trunks.
- Use a weekly spray program to protect your roses from insects and black spot. Keep fruit trees well watered if they’re still producing.
- Prune hedges on an as‑needed basis, but avoid severe pruning.
Fruits and Nuts
- Peaches, apples, plums and blackberries with developing fruit must receive regular moisture.
- Figs are especially sensitive to dry soil.
- Prune out old blackberry canes (the ones that bore fruit this year) to make way for the new canes.
Turf Grass
- June’s warm soils make this an ideal time to establish or renovate the home lawn. Bermuda grass for all sun/no shade, St. Augustine for all sun/partial shade and zoysia for all sun/partial shade.
- Irrigate the lawn grass only if it hasn’t rained in the last two weeks.
- Raise the blade on the mower to 3.5 inches or more if you have St. Augustine. Continue to mow the Bermuda at 1-1.5 inch.
Seasonal Gardening Checklist Prepared by Tom Harris, Ph.D., Honorary BCMG