Juno

D’you know Juno is the goddess of marriage and birth? “June Is Bustin’ Out All Over,” no connection I’m sure. Juno also means a woman of stately beauty. “And what is so rare as a day in June?” This month is a delight in many ways.

D’you know several plants are named after June? June’s Rose is a white Lilly. June’s Tears is Vervain. June Berry is Service Berry or Shadbush. Then there is the sound of nightly stealth missiles striking the window screens-June Bugs.

D’you know that in June most trees will complete their growth for the year? They will begin to harden that new growth to wood and prepare for the winter. An exception is the sprouts from stumps, in full sun, which continue to grow all summer.

The summer solstice is in June and marks the astronomical beginning of summer. Although June 21 is technically the first day of summer, we have been enjoying summer weather for a while. Summer solstice, or sun standing still, is when the sun appears to remain still as it stops its apparent journey from the equator to the tropic of Cancer and begins its return towards the equator.

You’ve probably already mulched the ornamentals. Now is the time to mulch the hot weather plants such as tomatoes and peppers. The ground is nice and warm. Mulch keeps the ground from drying out and suppresses weeds. It also moderates the soil temperature. Several layers of newspaper topped with organic mulch, leaves, grass clippings, coarse compost, shredded bark etc. should do the trick. Wet the newspapers while doing this or you will be chasing them all over the neighborhood when the wind gets under them. Two to three inches of mulch is sufficient and keep it an inch or two away from the plant.

Mulch under trees is treated much the same way. Two to three inches deep and inches away from the trunk should suffice. D’you know those trees you see with the mulch heaped up to a foot around the trunk? D’you know we call them “volcanoes”? This practice promotes rot and un-healthy conditions that could cause early decline and even death of the tree.

Mulch under tomatoes also keeps the soil from splashing up on the fruits, during those occasional downpours. Soil on the fruits promotes disease. Blossom end rot is caused by uneven watering, lots of water followed by too dry conditions and vice versa. Mulch helps to prevent this by evening out the moisture content in the soil. I’ve already spent too mulch time on this. Thank you very mulch.

Things to do in the garden:
June sometimes begins our droughty summers. Water your roses well but hold off on the geraniums. They will bloom best when kept somewhat dry. Newly planted trees and bushes should be watered well each week if the weather remains dry. Give them a good soaking. Don’t give them a booster feeding of fertilizer this year. Force those young roots to search for food by stretching out into the soil.

Keep your lawns cut to three inches, the resulting lush growth keeps weeds from getting enough sun to germinate and keeps the soil moisture from evaporating too quickly. Water, if you must, in the morning, never in the evening, so the foliage can dry out before nightfall. This keeps fungi from getting established. This is also true for all plants, not just lawns.

If you don’t stake, trellis or cage your tomatoes and just let them sprawl, keep the fruit off the ground. If you find “volunteer” tomato plants springing up fight the temptation to “get a freebie.” You should rotate your crops just as good farmers do to prevent the buildup of disease. Volunteers are allowing a second year of growth in that spot.

Prune spring flowering shrubs after they have bloomed. Spring perennials should be cut back as the flowers fade. Deadhead flowers for more blooms. After the spring flowering bulbs’ leaves turn yellow they can be cut off. Also the bulbs that are too crowded can be lifted, divided and replanted. When iris are finished blooming they can be divided and replanted. Replant the vigorous outer tubers with two or three fans of leaves shortened to four or five inches.

D”you know you should thin those seedlings to the recommended distance between plants? I know you do. Try to resist the empathy you feel for those little plants. Yank’em out! Think of it as harvesting for the compost heap.

Our hotline is open for your gardening questions. Call 474-7534 with your question or e-mail us at pcmgvhotline@yahoo.com. Master Gardener Volunteers will begin answering questions on Wednesdays. Try to provide as much information as you can.

D’you know Juneau is the capital of Alaska and a great place to be in the month of June? So is Pickaway County, but you know that.