June Gardening Calendar 2025
Your cool season vegetables have already started
to bolt (bloom), which alerts the gardener the season is over for cool season
vegetables. You can either pull out the vegetables or till them into the soil
to enrich and add nutrients to the soil.
We can start thinking about planting winter
squash, pumpkins, gourds, okra, and southern peas.
There is still time to plant heat tolerant
vegetables tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and watermelons. These I thought are
worth mentioning to try in your garden:
Malabar Spinach is
a heat tolerant alternative to traditional spinach and grows as a vine. The
leaves in salads are fleshy and have a peppery, citrus taste when used fresh.
When cooked Malabar spinach taste just like traditional spinach. Make sure the
plant is always well watered. You can use the leaves fresh, stir-fry, steamed
or boiled.
Okra enjoys the
heat. The spineless varieties are recommended because of the spines on the
plant and okra. Even with the spineless varieties it is recommended to wear
gloves and long sleeves when harvesting the okra. Some of the varieties
recommended are Clemson Spineless 80, most popular, Emerald, White Velvet,
Cajun Delight.
Sweet Potatoes can
be grown in a container, such as potato grow bags, whiskey barrels, or a very
large container. You can harvest the tubers, sweet potatoes in about 4 months.
Summer Yellow
Squash is very prolific grower and producer and enjoy the summer heat. In the
summer would have summer squash several times during the summer. Yummy. Try
cooking steamed or boiled with sliced onions, if you like onions.
Peppers, hot or
sweet. There are many varieties of green, yellow, orange, red. All colors love
the heat. In areas that have extremely high temperature during the summer
months you may need to give some afternoon shade to prevent flower drop.
Bush Beans are
easy to grow and do not require staking. Provider, Blue Lake 274, Contender are
just a few varieties to grow this summer.
Butterhead Lettuce is one of the lettuces that will take the summer heat. Water deeply and mulch heavily.
It is always a good idea to monitor your garden
for insects and diseases. Early detection is the key. When you are uncertain of
the insect or disease, take a sample to your local garden center or nursery.
Fertilize tomatoes every two weeks with a calcium
enriched fertilizer. The calcium will be listed on the label.
In June, there are numerous perennials in stock at
your local garden center. A perennial is defined as a plant lasting more than
two years. Asclepias (milkweed) is one great perennial that is gaining
popularity. Milkweed is the host and nectar plant of the Monarch Butterfly. Last
year the Monarch Butterfly was put on the endangered species list. As gardeners
we can start incorporating Milkweed (Asclepias) into our gardens. Asclepias do
extremely wonderful in containers for the apartment gardeners. We have to act
now and quickly. Buy your plants or seeds now. The Monarchs need our help. For
more information on Butterfly Gardening, Cheryl has written Gardening for
the Butterflies Click Here to Purchase.
Deadhead perennials to get a second flush of blooms.
Color annuals
and Tropicals are blooming
brightly at your local garden center. Start thinking about starting your
container gardens and color bowls to place around your deck, patio, or outdoor
living area. Tropicals know how to beat the heat of summer and will bloom
continuously till first frost.
Hibiscus and
More offers fine art
prints of Cheryl Meola’s plant photography. Fine Art Prints. Click Here to Purchase.
Cheryl Meola’s
Plant Photography Merchandise. Click Here to Purchase Merchandise.
Floral & Foliage Stock Photography. StockPhotography.
Botanical &
Seasonal Stock Photography.
Stock Photography.,
Sunday, June 15th
is Father’s Day send
something special from Hibiscus and More. Gardening Books are great and
make excellent Father’s Day Gifts to give for gardening Dad’s. Cheryl has
written books on General Gardening, Houseplants and Butterfly Gardening. Click here to purchase Gardening Books.
