June Gardening Jobs

This is the month when you have long summer days and warm light evenings, so there’s more time for June gardening jobs. This makes the garden most enjoyable, especially with all the flowers bringing fragrance and colour to your garden. As well as all the borders and containers having flowers in full bloom, there should be vegetables and fruit that you can now eat.

Essential June gardening jobs

Water plants
Plant bedding
Deadhead and feed roses
Prune early summer shrubs
Take cuttings of Dianthus
Harvest soft fruit
Thin out fruit
Harvest vegetable crops
Plant outdoor tomatoes
Feed flowering plants
Feed the lawn
Weed control

Last chance to

Trim hedges and topiary
Sow fast-growing annuals

Watering

Watering your garden is one of the most important gardening jobs to do in June. You should focus on anything that you have recently planted in your borders, as well as in containers and hanging baskets. It is better to water borders thoroughly once a week than a splash of water every day. However, containers need watering at least once a day. We advise watering early in the morning or in the evening because the water doesn’t evaporate as quickly when it is cooler. Ensure that the water is directed at the soil rather than on the plant leaves to avoid scorching, which will damage the plant. Try using a spray gun with a soft water flow, like the Flopro Heavy Duty Multi Spray Gun. The unique setting mixes water with air to create a soft and gentle water flow. This makes sure your container soil does not get displaced, keeps the fluffy structure of the compost, and does not harm the vulnerable plants and roots.

In June, lawns can quickly dry out in the warmer weather, so using a sprinkler is a great way to keep your grass healthy and green. Aim to water early in the morning or late in the evening to reduce evaporation and help the moisture soak into the soil. A consistent watering routine can also help your lawn withstand any dry spells through the summer.

Plant bedding and hanging baskets

Summer bedding can now be planted in the borders to fill any of the gaps. Keep the plants well-watered for the first month. Ensure that you protect the plants from slugs and snails while they are settling in.

Planting up pots and hanging baskets in June is an ideal way to infuse your outdoor spaces with vibrant color and lush greenery. As summer approaches, the warmer temperatures and longer days provide the perfect conditions for a wide variety of plants to thrive. When selecting plants, consider a mix of trailing and upright varieties to create dynamic, eye-catching arrangements. Popular choices include petunias, geraniums, lobelias, and fuchsias, which offer an array of colours and textures. Be sure to use high quality compost such as Westland Boost All Purpose Compost, which is ideal for planting up containers and baskets. It’s clever Moisture Lock Technology helps reduce plant stress, and gives you more abundant blooms, as well as brighter colours and glossier foliage. This technology incorporates water-storing granules that efficiently retain moisture, while an added surfactant ensures easier rewetting, maintaining optimal hydration levels for your plants.

When planting up, Boost All Purpose Multi-Action Granules are ideal for giving your plants the best start. These nutrient-packed granules strengthen roots, promote greener foliage, and provide up to 6 months of slow-release feeding to enhance overall plant health. With its high potassium content, you’ll enjoy more blooms, fruits, and vegetables throughout the growing season. For best results, simply mix Boost All Purpose Multi-Action Granules into Boost All Purpose Compost at planting, and continue with regular feeding using Boost All Purpose Liquid Plant Feed to achieve 4x more blooms* all summer long.

Deadhead and feed roses

For roses to produce a second crop of flowers, it is a good idea to cut off the faded flowers. When deadheading, you should cut the roses back to a strong side shoot. Using sharp secateurs or snips for deadheading roses ensures a clean, precise cut, which helps the plant heal quickly and reduces the risk of disease. Blunt tools can crush or tear the stem, leaving it vulnerable to infection. Sharp blades also make the job quicker and easier, especially when deadheading multiple blooms.. Once you have deadheaded, it is a good idea to feed the roses with a specialist rose feed.

Feeding roses in June is important to keep them blooming beautifully through the summer. By this time, many roses have produced their first flush of flowers and will benefit from a second feed to encourage repeat flowering. Use a rose-specific fertiliser that’s rich in potassium to promote more blooms and healthy growth. Applying feed after deadheading and watering it in well helps the nutrients reach the roots more effectively. Regular feeding in June supports strong, healthy plants and extends the flowering season.

Prune early summer shrubs

Shrubs such as Weigela, Kolkwitzia, and Deutzia will probably have finished flowering by now, so they can be pruned. It is best to cut off about one-third of the stems, as this will allow more air and light to reach the shrub. After pruning, it is a good idea to feed with a multi-purpose feed, such as Growmore or Chicken Manure Pellets.

Take cuttings of Dianthus

Dianthus is a very popular plant due to its spicy clove scent. June is a good time to take cuttings of these plants. Take the cuttings from young non-flowering shoots, cutting about five leaf pairs from the tip. Pull off the bottom pair of leaves and place the cuttings around the edge of an 8cm pot filled with Westland Seed and Cutting Compost. Water in gently and keep in a shady place. Do not cover as the cuttings may go mouldy.

Continue to trim hedges and topiary

Evergreen hedges of Yew, Privet, Box, Lonicera Nitida, and Leyland Cypress can be clipped this month with a good pair of hedge shears or topiary snips. A topiary box should also be trimmed if not done already. After trimming, feed and water in well.

Sow fast-growing annuals

There’s still just enough time to sow fast-growing annuals to flower this year. Choose from Clarkia, Virginia Stock, Candytuft, and Calendula (Pot Marigold) to fill empty spaces. They should flower within 10 to 12 weeks.

Feed Flowering Plants

Feeding your plants in June is essential to support their rapid summer growth and flowering. With longer days and warmer temperatures, plants are working hard to produce blooms, fruit, and lush foliage, so a regular boost of nutrients helps them thrive. Feed all ornamental and ericaceous plants, plus all fruit and vegetable plants, with Boost every time you water. Boost All Purpose Liquid Plant Feed will produce four times more blooms compared to watering alone. Simply add to your watering can.

Kitchen Garden

Harvest soft fruit

Fruit such as strawberries and raspberries should start to produce their luscious fruit in June. Don’t worry if you haven’t had a chance to plant some strawberry plants, as you can buy some plants with flowers and plant them. These plants have been chilled and are often called 60-day plants, as they fruit 60 days after planting.

Thin out fruit

Many fruit trees, such as apples, pears, and plums, begin to drop their fruit in June. This is called ‘June drop’. This is because fruit trees produce a lot of young fruits, but the tree cannot produce enough nutrients to enable them to all grow into healthy fruit. Therefore, some of them will drop off. However, you may need to thin out the fruit crops further to produce a better final overall crop. Below is a guideline for the spacing you should try to give the fruit to develop fully.

Cooking apple: fruit 15 to 22cm apart
Dessert apple: fruit 10-15 cm apart
Pears: fruit 10-15cm apart
Plums: fruit 8-10cm apart

Harvest vegetable crops

A lot of vegetable plants will be producing a good, healthy crop, which you will be able to start to pick this month. Peas and broad beans are probably one of the first vegetable crops you will pick. With these vegetables, the earlier and more regularly you pick them, the more crop you will have. Other vegetable crops which can now be harvested include turnips, carrots, and beetroots. If the weather is good, you should have the first crop of new potatoes towards the end of the month.

Plant outdoor tomatoes

It is safe to plant tomatoes outdoors now. They can either go straight into the ground or into a growbag. Tomatoes need a sunny, sheltered spot and will do best against a south-facing wall. Ensure to water them well and also feed them to have the best tomato crop. We advise using Westland Big Tom to get bigger and juicer tomatoes, but to only start feeding once the first truss has set (as soon as you have green tomatoes). Read our guide on How to grow tomato plants for more information.

Take care of the lawn

It is now really important to mow your lawn once a week to keep it looking healthy, and it will soon thicken up. Feeding your lawn should now also be part of your lawn maintenance. Regularly feeding your lawn will give grass the nutrients it needs to grow and survive. Feeding your lawn will help it grow thicker and greener, and will also mean unwelcome weeds and moss will be less likely to take hold. SafeLawn is a great child and pet friendly all in one lawn feed that feeds all year round for a healthier lawn. It also helps prevent weeds and moss, and will give you a luscious, greener, and stronger lawn. Perfect for these summer months.

Weed Control

June is a peak month for weed growth, with warm weather and regular showers creating ideal conditions for weeds to thrive. To keep your garden looking its best, it’s important to tackle weeds early before they have a chance to spread. Use Resolva Xtra Fast Weedkiller on beds and borders as it targets weeds within 3 hours, so your outdoor space will look tidy and fresh again in no time.

Apply Resolva on a dry, calm day when rain isn’t forecast, and you’ll see visible results within hours. It’s ideal for paths, patios, and flower beds – just take care to avoid contact with wanted plants. Regular weeding in June keeps your garden tidy and gives your plants more space, light, and nutrients to flourish.