June in the Garden

Get ready to enjoy the summer outdoors with our top tips.

At Armitage’s, we have all that you need to ensure you enjoy a long summer outdoors! Here are our top tips for what you could be doing in June.

Furniture & BBQs

If you haven’t seen your garden furniture or barbecue since last summer, now’s a good time to rescue them from the back of the shed and give them a good spruce up ready for plenty of outdoor entertaining. And if your furniture and barbecue are past their best then now is a good time to replace them.

Summer bedding

June is the month to plant out your bedding and other half-hardy plants. These plants can’t tolerate frost, so have some fleece handy to provide extra protection. If you've grown your own, make sure they’re hardened off first, that is acclimatised to the cooler outdoor conditions. Again, using fleece will help. You will need to water the plants well before and after planting out. Remember to feed them regularly for a summer display to be proud of!

Water and feed your plants

It’s not necessary to water all the plants in your garden regularly, but all recently planted plants, especially bedding and plants in containers or baskets, will appreciate a good soak to keep them growing strongly. Watering little and often isn’t the way as it encourages surface rooting and makes the plants more susceptible to drought. Feeding is also important. Either apply a liquid fertiliser regularly or add a long-lasting, once a year controlled-release fertiliser to the soil or compost.

Baskets and containers

Make the most of your hanging baskets and containers this year and ensure they provide a colourful and healthy display by using controlled-release fertiliser and water-retention gel in the compost. Check your hanging basket brackets will hold the weight and replace any that are suspect, and even use self-lowering brackets or install a drip watering system to make watering easier.

Water features

Since Charlie Dimmock joined the Ground Force team, no garden in the UK has been complete without the soothing splish splash of a water feature. So, if you are planning a garden overhaul or just want to add a little interest to your garden, then a water feature could be just the thing. They can look so effective, whether big or small, and make your garden a friendly place for wildlife and birds!

Pest Watch

During the warm days of summer pests like red spider mite, aphids and whitefly, and diseases like mildew, rust and blackspot can really take hold and get out of control. Check your plants regularly for signs of trouble and deal with them quickly to keep them strong and healthy. Slugs and snails can also be a problem, so make sure you stock up with your favourite control methods. Some plants, for instance roses, need to be checked very regularly.