Last updated on June 12th, 2015
Wanna get down and dirty in the garden with me? We can train the tomato vines, smother the weeds, and deadhead the spent spring flowers. Afterwards, we can make something delicious to eat! The fun starts here:
General
Watering. Drought sometimes occurs this month just when the steady growth of everything requires moisture. If Nature doesn’t handle the watering chores, your garden hose will.
Compost. To speed up decay, fork over your compost pile and soak it thoroughly. Or, just be lazy like me, and drink a martini instead.
Container Gardens. Keep in mind that plants confined to hanging baskets, window boxes, or pots can’t forage for food and moisture as they would in the open garden. Consequently, feed and water these container plants daily. I water mine twice a day during periods of high heat. (Pictured above, in my Herb Garden: purple Calibrachoa)
Weeds and Newspaper. If pulling weeds isn’t your idea of a good time — I can’t bear the job — smother the offenders with either cardboard or thick layers of newspaper, as above. Then top the paper with shredded leaves or wood chips. Watch me “newspaper mulch” a perennial bed.
Vinegar for Weed-Control. I use common white vinegar to eliminate the weeds which emerge in my brick, gravel, and blue-stone walkways. Watch me vinegar-ize the weeds in my gravel paths.
Perennials
Astilbe. Discover these deer-resistant plants that sprout fragrant spires of pink, white or red in light shade. They need considerable moisture throughout the summer months.
Chrysanthemum. Pinch top- and side-growth back now and through July.
Iris. Remove at the ground level all stalks bearing faded flowers. I hope you have the twice-blooming types that flower again in the fall.
Peony. If only the fragrant puffs had staying-power! Deadhead spent flowers, but keep the plants well-watered and mulched.
Primula japonica. Keep this deer-resistant “candelabra primrose” moist, and it will bloom for you through all of June. Details and pictures.
Roses. Enjoy them now before the Japanese beetle makes its horrid return. And if blackspot is present on foliage, control it with a simple solution of milk and water.
Or, simply move to France. There, blackspot is minimal, and Japanese beetles are unheard of.
And please, please, please do not use Bayer “Rose & Flower Care” anywhere in your garden. Studies have shown that the product’s active ingredient, Clothianidin, is at least partly responsible for honey bee Colony Collapse Disorder. More details here.
Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbs.
Tomatoes. In the interest of high-quality fruit, remove suckers. Also, tie vines to vertical supports. This year, I’m incorporating crushed egg shells into the soil around my plants. According to research, the shells slowly release calcium, a substance which reduces the chance of blossom-end rot. See all my tomato-growing tips.
Blueberries and strawberries. Keep in mind that birds are interested in the ripening fruit as much you are. Consider covering the plants with a floating row cover. And if your strawberries are ready for harvest, you really ought to nab some for my Glazed Strawberry Tart (above). Here’s the easy recipe.
Loveage. If you have this perennial herb in your garden, why not enjoy its celery-flavored leaves? I think they make a delicious salad all on their own. You can also turn the leaves into Lemony Lovage Pesto (pictured above). Here’s the recipe.
Salad Greens. Make new sowings now to replace older crops which have bolted. Otherwise, replant the salad bed with beans, turnips, or beets — all these are quick to grow, and they won’t faint in the summer heat.
Potatoes. Whenever stems reach 6 inches in length, cover all but the top 2 inches with soil, shredded leaves, or weed-free straw. Continue this routine for the first month or so. New potato-bearing stolons will emerge along these covered parts. See my potato-growing guide.
Chives. Be sure to make Chive Blossom Vinegar (my easy recipe) before flowers fade. You’ll be happy to have this pink, flavorful infusion when winter arrives.
And what about the the green stems of chives? I’d turn them into this utterly-addictive Chive Pesto.
Garlic. If you planted the hard-neck type, as I did last fall, be sure to remove flowering stalks or “scapes” to encourage further development of the bulbs. I use the scapes to make the best dipping sauce in the world.
Houseplants. These enjoy a summer holiday outdoors as much as children do. Of course, out of doors musn’t mean out of sight, out of mind; houseplants require considerable attention during the warm season. Give them plentiful food and moisture.
Are my monthly lists of garden chores helpful to you? Perhaps you can let me know by leaving a comment. As always, I love hearing from you.
Don’t miss anything at A Garden for the House…sign up for Kevin’s weekly newsletter.
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Juanita says
Hey Kevin……..
Yes your monthly lists of Garden Chores are always very helpful
Whewwwwww……..I am absolutely worn out……I need a cold drink
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Juanita – Enjoy your drink. And while you’re at it, pour me one, too. Gin and vermouth will do nicely.
Sandy says
Love reading all your advice, thanks!
I enjoyed my first experiments with winter
sowing this year. My veggies are off to a great start!
I actually enjoy weeding and find it relaxing.
Except for the invasive bamboo that borders my
Neighbors yard into mine! Do you have any advice
About getting rid of it? I’d say it has had 8 or so
years of spreading and getting bigger! We had
major landscape renovations last year that included
backhoes digging some parts out! But the darn things
are resilient. So every week they grow back a foot!
There are not many other plants around them,
could I use straight vinegar after I pull them up?
Thanks so much!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Sandy – Speak of the devil! Yesterday I cut off stems from a massive clump of false bamboo (“Japanese Knotwood”), and pulled out about a hundred of its nasty little offshoots. It is a tough plant to eradicate.
Amy Halvorson Miller says
Thank you for considering our pollinators. To get rid of aphids on roses, I put a little dish soap in a squirt bottle of water and hit them directly a few days in a row. That way I can avoid the ladybird beetles, bees, spiders and all the other beneficial critters living in the garden.
Kate says
All great advice. My “New Dawn” climber is in its second year and blooming profusely for the first time! I am so excited! I will use your suggestions for beetles and black spot, good to know.
Re irises, why do you suggest cutting to the ground? Don’t they need sun to promote flower generation for the following year or do they grow on new shoots each year? My apologies if I sound ignorant on the subject, but I am still learning. Thank you for all your effort week after week, and good luck with your party!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Kate – Sorry the iris-direction wasn’t clear. Cut the flower stalk (after the flower fades) — not the foliage! So glad your ‘New Dawn’ is blooming well for you. One of my favorite climbers.
Pam Ulmer says
Hey Sandy. We dug our bamboo out with a backhoe like you did and then, when a sprout would show itself, my husband would throw a roofing shingle on top of it and it quickly met it’s demise. After some persistence, they stopped showing up. Perhaps this would help you.
Jill Johnson says
Your blog is one of my favorites but between your gardening and your cooking I feel like a real slacker! Thank you for the tip on using milk for blackspot. I will try it this week.
Pat O says
Thanks, Kevin, for your monthly chores, tips and recipes. I made your chive pesto as an appetizer for a dinner party and it was a huge hit! Then I made the chive blossom vinegar and gave bottles of it to lots of my friends and they all ooh’d and aaw’d over it! Thanks so much!
Catie says
Kevin,
Your garden chores lists are incredibly helpful! Thank you for posting them.
I also really appreciate your reminder to avoid Bayer “Rose & Flower Care”/Clothianidin because I must say I WAS tempted when I saw blackspot and white flies yesterday on my gorgeous, about-to-bloom climbing roses. I will stick with an organic solution. Save the honey bees! Hope your garden tour went well in spite of this hot & humid weekend we’re having!
Catie
Gardening in zone 6A
Cathy Mullins says
Hi Kevin,
I started subscribing to your wonderful site a few months ago. So here’s my first comment: I think it’s time I get a petition going to demand that Bayer stop using Clothianidin. The most likely place to get started is http://www.change.org. May I send it to you once it’s a done deal? Perhaps you could post it and your loyal readers could sign it and pass it on.
I appreciate all you do to keep your home and garden so incredibly beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing it all with us.
KimH says
Cathy Mullins.. I’d sign it..
Your garden list is somewhat similar to mine.. but my garlic is way behind this year I think.. I fear for it.. I lost a lot of it over winter and now its been raining like crazy so Im concerned about rot.. Im crossing my fingers & praying too. 😉
I love that New Dawn.. its beautiful.. Im in the process of rooting a climbing rose, Zephrine-Drouhin Shes beautiful and I want more than the one I have.. its beautiful & prolific & in full bloom right now too. http://www.jacksonandperkins.com/rose-zephirine-drouhin/p/45440/
I may have to see about one of your New Dawn varieties.. its gorgeous!
Its wet here in Ohio after a very dry spring.. but this next week is supposed to be beautiful.. Maybe I’ll get to get the rest of my garden planted. (hope hope) I did get most of my brasicas, tomatoes & peppers planted and they’re doing well.
I too tried your winter sowing for the first time this year… It was really awesome for the most part. there were a few that were duds for me, but Im going to try again & feel sure that they’ll be successful.. I sowed a bunch of tomatoes that I would love to have extras of even though I started some in the house under lights too.. Lots of tomatoes, broccoli, bunching onions, leeks, and shasta daisies germinated beautifully. I even got 4 tomatillo plants! Im super excited to grow them! Thanks so much for sharing how to winter sow!
George & Laura says
really enjoy your newsletter. The vinegar works perfectly on our gravel driveway. I didn’t get the garlic tips until after I removed the blossoms from my chives but will do so when the next batch comes up. I am just going to try making the chive pesto. Thanks. Thanks from the South coast of Canada.
Peggy Topham says
Hi, Kevin Love your blog & wonderful photography. Wanted to make incredible dipping
sauce but link showed error 404. Is it not posted?.Thanks so much for all the growing information. Love it & your house Peggy
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Cathy – I’m a member of Change.org. If you want to start a petition against Clothianidin, by all means do so. I’ll sign it, just as I’m sure others will. Commercial bee keepers and environmentalists filed a petition with the EPA in March of 2012, but to date the chemical is still allowed in the United States. Meanwhile, it is banned in Germany.
Hi KimH – So glad you have Zephrine Drouhin. Several years ago, I wrote about this thornless climber that helps to conceal my ugly garden shed. Love it!
George & Laura – Oh, do make the chive pesto. It’s incredible.
Peggy Topham – Thanks for the heads-up about the Garlic Scape Pesto link. This one works: Garlic Scape Pesto.
Behold says
So glad I discovered you’re newsletter. I tried some winter-sowing this year. Because our Spring was so cool this year, the tomatoes started later than I had hoped but I’m anxious to see how they do now that they’re in the garden. I’m also trying the Florida weave with some of my tomatoes – also anxious to see how well that works.
Susan L. Espersen says
I can’t believe that 75% of your tips regard things I am growing! We have a first year garden (vegetable) and clay is trying to harden the surface, but we are persevering! Someone said that lime and peat this fall tilled in will help to break down the clay. True? We planned to plant a cover crop to till in come Spring. Hoping next year’s soil will be easier to work with, but glad we have year one underway! Every row is showing new sprouts and it’s so exciting!!! Thanks so much for keeping me enthused, by posting such fun, informational tips! I smile when I see the email appear! 🙂
Phyllis Hollinger says
Kevin, love your newsletter and your monthly list of garden chores is very helpful. I look forward to your newsletter each week. Love the Sugar Cookie Tartlets and will definitely try them!
Sandy says
Pam Ulmer- thank you for your suggestion of the
Roofing shingles to tackle my monstrous Bamboo
Problem! I’ll give it a try. 🙂
Jan says
Hi Kevin,
Question re: Garlic plants planted this spring.
They were planted for me, unfortunately, in clumps.
When should they be harvested?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Jan – You can harvest garlic after the green tops fall over, and begin to turn brown. More details in my Garlic Sowing & Growing Guide.
christina says
Yes!! All of your tips, lists, photos, and ideas always help my husband and I. We also love your recipes… Thank you so much for the time you take to share!!!
garden ninja says
I envy you! The weather here in southeast mo has been perfect for gardening but I am laid up for a month with a leg in a cast. I’ll just have to watch for awhile.garden on!
Sharon says
I am also attempting the Florida Weave this year because my Ramapos went rampant last year. I’ve got 4 plants with a stake at either end, and one between each plant, I’m on my second course of twine, about every 6-8″ up is going to get one as the plants grow.
June’s been incredibly rainy in Central NJ thus far, no one is wanting for water – in fact some are a bit waterlogged. I’d hurt my knee last Friday, otherwise I’d have tended to everything over the remarkably non-rainy weekend.
Barbara Peeters says
Can you give some advice regarding moles or gohpers around veggie gardens? Someone told me to dig down to find their tunnel and then stick a lit flare in it to smoke them out….but don’t they just dig farther into my garden? Will they eat the roots of my tomatoes? I’d appreciate any solutions you or your readers have. I also have dogs and don’t want to use poisons that they could get into. Thanks!
Melinda says
Hello Kevin–I grown red currants and the fruit started attracting birds. I used a bird net to protect them until one year a gold finch was caught in it and died. Now I use floating row cover connected with clips and weighted down with bricks. It looks like a giant floating ghost for a month or so but seems to do a good job.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Melinda – Yes, a floating row cover is safer (for birds) than netting. I’ll mention this in the article above.
Tammy says
So helpful, Kevin! Thanks!!!!
Christina Schonlau says
Thanks for the tips Kevin! I always enjoy reading your gardening posts and your great recipes! I did try winter seed sowing this year. I thought I followed the instructions perfectly, but the permanent markers weren’t so permanent so I have lots of lovely seedlings, but don’t have a clue what they are! I’m planting them anyway and I’ll have a nice surprise, I hope!
Trish K says
Thank you for pointing out not to use Bayer Rose and Flower Care. So many people still don’t realize how dangerous these chemical products are to bees and other pollinators.
Peggy says
Hi, Kevin, love your newsletters and all the tips. I retire the end of the month and am eager to get my garden growing. Moving home from overseas so lots to do. We’ll be in zone 8b in Louisiana and I will have to see what grows there. Hope to get our raised garden beds established and some things growing before the season’s over.
Take care and thanks again!
Beverly, zone 6, eastern PA says
I just spied the garlic scapes yesterday. Pesto is on the horizon.
For me, June has become the rearranging month where I move clumps of perennials to better locations or redo raised beds. I usually aim for early May for this, but our intense dryness all spring prevented me from achieving that goal. On tap today, moving the lovely blue Woodland Phlox (divaricata), a fabulous flea market find, to a place where more people can see it. We got nearly 3″ of rain in 3 days earlier this week, a merciful blessing for the exhausted watering can brigade.
Anne Schomaker says
HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My wonderful vegetable garden was a nightmare when I visited early this morning. I love string beans and planted them weeks apart as you suggested. All the rows were up and thriving. I could taste my first harvest. BAMBI visited!!!!!!!!! She jumped the fencing and ate every single plant including the tops of the tomatoes and eggplant. In my flower garden every geranium blossom was devoured and hostia as well. Footprints and droppings were left as a gift for me. So I’ll gather my wits and try again. Any suggestions?
Lori G. says
I am SO making that chive blossom vinegar!
Molly says
Garden tips and fabulous recipes, what a combo! Thanks for this weekly treat. Your readers’ comments are always a pleasure too.
Regina Troiano says
Kevin, Love you newsletter! i have used many of the recipes over the years and look forward to the cookbook.
Thanks, Regina
Lori says
I was just looking for a chive pesto recipe. And your garden chores are one step ahead of us here in the North, so the timing is fabulous. Do you prune your lilacs? Any tips?
jo says
Hi,
We have a 4 year old avocado tree that has just started barring fruits this year.
The leaves are turning colors yellow to brown and falling off in large amounts and look like there have been bugs eating them, also the branches are mottled looking with black is there something naturel I can spray or put around to help the tree and prevent bugs or whatever from destroying it?
I’m guessing you don’t have avocado trees by you in your area but I thought I’d ask just incase you might know what to do?
thanks
Jo
Tami says
Love your tips! I planted winter sowing this year and I don’t know what happened! They were Puny! Nothing like yours. Is it because I’m in Eugene Oregon and I should have transplanted them months ago? Even after transplanting they just sit in the ground not dead but not growing. Also I didn’t fertilize them.
Abigail says
Thank you for your garden reminders which serve to get me out of garden spectator mode and back to actual gardening.
Thanks for the reminder to water the astilbe which is one of the few perennials that thrives in my shady garden.
Thank you very much Kevin, for the reminder about Bayer, Clothiandin, and bees. You brought that to my attention last Spring and now I pass it on to fellow gardeners.
Janet G. Metzger says
No chores for me! I will, instead, sit and stare at the computer screen admiring your roses!!!!!
Have a good weekend!
And thank you for the reminder to water 2x day in heat.
JgM
Linda Hulsey says
Thanks kevin didnt know that about iris mine do bloom 2 times if not to hot in sept. But ialways kept the green now iwill cut off thanks
Maureen says
I’m thinking you have to be my favorite website to visit. Not only do you help us with gardening but also cooking…..my 2 favorite hobbies. I need to come back tomorrow to really spend some time reading your gardening hints and chores. You are truly a wealth of information…..very much appreciated.
Margaret says
I first read the trick for strawberries but I use it on my tomatoes and it works. I paint golf balls red and lay them around the tomato plants. Birds peck on these “tomatoes” and deem this plant to have bad fruit and will leave it be. For strawberries you paint rocks to resemble strawberries.
Sharon says
To keep Japanese Beetles at bay I plant garlic around the roses. Haven’t had any beetles in years. Plus you have garlic to use.
badger gardener says
Speaking of house plants, I got an African violet this winter and it has been flourishing thanks to all of your advice. The other day I went to clean the saucer and there was all of this white fuzzy , sticky growth coming out of the water holes and on the saucer. What the heck? Do I need to repot ? Is this going to impact the plant? I looked online but can only find info about powdery mildew on AV’s and this doesn’t seem to be on the plant itself. Do you ever get this?
Ann Honer says
Hi Kevin,
My garlic does not appear to have ‘scrapes’. Is this normal?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi badger gardener –Sounds like the white stuff could be roots emerging from the drainage holes. Go ahead and shift the plant to a slightly (only slightly!) larger pot.
Hi Ann Honer – What type of garlic did you plant? Only the hard-neck varieties produce scapes.
KTinMaine says
Your gardens are so beautiful, Kevin! Definitely an inspiration. And your tips and advice are great for a beginning gardener such as myself. I hope that when your cookbook is finished, you’ll do a gardening book next!
MATT says
So much good info, thanks for all the tips. What an inspiration.
gina says
You make it seem fun
myrtle miller says
Neocortonoids are also thought to be a culprit in CCD. My thoughts after very limited research is that bees that are kept by commercial bee keepers are put at increased risk because their food supply-honey-is often taken from them and then to add insult to injury they are assaulted by a chemical that is not good for them. My solution although I’ve signed many a petition is to march in Washington and demand that our food supply be respected and that allowing the further production of neocortonoids will be considered a direct assault on our food supply and will be dealt with accordingly. I think that in addition to demanding public monies be spent on creating bee sanctuaries would be a good start.
myrtle miller says
Typo: that. should be preceded and followed by a comma
Anne-Pii Saare says
Hi,
Sometimes I don’t have time before much later to read your weekly letters. But I keep them, until I have – and I use them.
I just thougth to tell you, that we (well my partner taught me this when I moved to him in France – Brittany) use the boiling water after cooking vegetables, pasta etc to control the weed. It is a bit cheaper than using vinegar, and it smells less. 🙂
I love your recepies and little tips for the garden!
K hussey says
Help my squash only flowers profusely and way to get them to fruit? Yellow squash it is.
Julie R says
I am looking for advice on how to grow Lavender. So Kevin, if you have any good advice about growing it, or if anyone else out there has good info to share about growing Lavender, I would like to hear it. I have never grown it, and am considering trying to grow it this year.
Through reading your blog Kevin and reading everyone’s comments, I am finding some really good tips and tricks for gardening. Happy gardening = )