Bloom

June 2015

Pickaway to Garden

Bloom

By Paul Hang

What rhymes with bloom? June? Although the blooms of many plants have gone, it seems that most plants bloom in June. I am not sure about that. Most trees and shrubs bloomed in May. The blooms in our gardens though seem to be most prolific in June. Certainly the time between May and June is when the natural world is do ‘in the bloom ‘in. Bloom, the opening up of a flower bud, also defined as freshness and health. Some blooms are inconspicuous, like those of most trees which are pollinated by the wind. Others are showy and spectacular. Those are the ones most gardeners are interested in. But flowers are one of the ways plants attract pollinators. In fact the plant could care less what we think of its bloom. If the plant can be fertilized to produce seed for the next generation it has fulfilled its destiny and its bloom has done its job. It doesn’t matter whether we call it beautiful or not.

This season of bloom we think of as spring. June seems more like summer, even though summer isn’t officially here until June 21, the summer solstice. The seasons, like the flowers, don’t care one iota (give a fig?) about our views and artificial constructions like measuring the time of year by months. The sun and earth go about their changing relationship, the plants bloom when the right amount of heat has accumulated, and none care what day we call it.

June 10^th the OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteers, Pickaway County, will hold its third annual Founders Day Celebration. It’s free and the public is invited. The topic is “Lawns and Lawn Alternatives.” The speaker will be Cheryl Harner. Her blog “The Weedpickers Journal” is at www.cherylharner.blogspot.com. Cheryl is a frequent public speaker, has lead the Greater Mohican Audubon Society, Richland County Master Gardeners and the Ohio Ornithological Society. She is also the co-founder of Flora Quest, a botanical eco-tourism adventure. The program begins at 7pm at Trinity Lutheran Church, Noecker Hall on E. Mound St. Circleville.

Things to do in the garden:

First, if you haven’t started a garden it is not too late. Read the seed package to determine how many days the variety takes to maturity. If there is enough time then go ahead and plant the seeds. When choosing plants, choose strong vigorous green ones. Avoid the yellowish leggy specimens. Plants of tomato, peppers, eggplant are the best bet for early June planting.

Some plants that can be planted from seed in early June are: green beans (successive plantings to mid-June can extend the harvest), beets, carrots, Swiss chard, corn (depending on the variety), cucumber, lettuce, lima beans, musk melon, winter and summer squash.

To avoid the wilting of cucumber and melon vines cover the new plants with row cover material until the plants flower. Then remove the cover so that the pollinators can do their work.

Mulch vegetables in mid-month after the soil has warmed up, at the same time you can fertilize all vegetables, corn two times, this month.

Weed and thin planted crops. Crowding plants more than is recommended usually results in all the plants doing poorly. Water deeply (not a little each day) one inch per week all summer. It is best to apply the water to the base of the plants rather than on the foliage. If you must use a sprinkler, water very early in the day so the foliage can dry before night fall. Wet foliage overnight can encourage fungal diseases to develop.

Remove seed heads from perennials. Don’t allow fancy hybrids to ripen and self-sow as their offspring will not come true. Dead head flowers for more blooms. Iris can be divided and replanted after blooming. You can pinch back mums for bushier growth once they are 4 to 6 inches tall. Continue to pinch back until mid-July.

If your daffodils didn’t bloom well it could be because they are now growing in the shade of trees or shrubs which were small when the bulbs were planted. Or perhaps the daffodils are too crowded. Once the foliage turns yellow you can dig up the bulbs and divide and/or move them.

Fruit trees often shed small fruits in early summer called June Drop. Thin apples to one per cluster and one fruit every four to eight inches. This will cause bigger fruit. Pick up all fallen fruit whether caused by nature or man. Only compost fallen fruit if you have a “hot” heap. Otherwise dispose of the diseased fruit in the trash.

Mow the lawn to about 3 inches, this promotes a healthier plant and shades out weeds and conserves water. The gardening season is well under way and we can be overwhelmed with all there is to do. Take the time to enjoy this leafy month. Gardening is a process to be enjoyed.

If you notice a “volunteer” tomato plant germinating in your garden resist the temptation to let it grow and yank it out. Good gardeners like good farmers rotate their crops. By allowing a volunteer to grow in last year’s tomato area you are allowing disease to accumulate in that spot. Mulch under tomatoes keeps the soil from splashing up on the fruits, during those occasional downpours. Soil on the fruits promotes disease. If you don’t stake, trellis or cage your tomatoes and just let them sprawl on the ground, mulch will keep the fruit off the bare ground. 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.

You can ask Master Gardener Volunteers gardening questions at the Farmers’ Market on Saturdays. Also our Helpline is open for your gardening questions. Call 474-7534 with your question or go to www.Pickaway.osu.edu, click on "Ask an expert." Master Gardener Volunteers will get back to you with answers to your questions. Try to provide as much information as you can.

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.