Jobs in the Garden and the Vegetable Patch for June

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The Garden and Vegetable Patch will really be coming to life by now and over the next few weeks and months there will be plenty of jobs to do but also plenty of enjoyment to be had. 

The display from your spring bulbs such a Daffodils will almost certainly be over by now. I grow a lot of my bulbs in pots to allow me to place them where I want in the garden, though I also have a few throughout the beds and naturalised under the Cherry Tree. I always give mine one last feed when watering to encourage a good display next year before moving those in pots into a corner of the garden, out of sight, to allow the foliage to die back naturally which also helps feed the bulb for next year. 

High on my list of priorities at this time of year is checking the Lilies for Lily Beetle and their larvae as they can strip your plants of foliage almost overnight! I had a problem earlier in the spring with a Squirrel nibbling the top off of three of the emerging bulbs so they now won’t grow and flower this year; next spring I will be placing some chicken wire around the emerging shots. 

You are fine to plant out the summer bedding plants now such as Cosmos, annual Chrysanthemums, Geraniums and Marigolds. I actually grow a number of French Marigolds in and around the Veg Patch as they are a great for companion planting as well as very pretty. There is no scientific proof that they repel pests as some think but Marigolds certainly help attract insects such as Bees onto the plot that in turn pollinate fruiting plants such Beans and Tomatoes. They also attract predators such as Ladybirds that help to keep pest numbers down. 

On the Vegetable Plot, if like me you aren’t the most delicate of sowers, remember to thin out seedlings from earlier sowings to ensure you get healthy, strong-growing plants, especially important with veg such as Carrots and Parsnips. If you have a Greenhouse, remember to open the vents on warmer days but insure you close them at night. You may also want to invest in some shading ready for summer to lower daytime temperatures and reduce scorching on your plants.  

Cheers 🍺



Location: London Borough of Havering, UK

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