John Hethrington has been gardening since the age of 9. He started a career in gardening in high school and launched his own gardening service by Grade 12, and grew the business from there. He spent his early life gardening in Toronto and earned his certification as a Master Gardener before moving to Meaford where he cultivates 2.5 acres with 20 different gardens including perennials, roses, a xeriscape garden, a meadow, two bog gardens, several shrub borders and a pond. He publishes monthly garden tips for local newsletters and his column will appear on CollingwoodToday.ca as well.
*****June is a busy month for your gardens. Master Gardener John Heatherington suggests adding these gardening chores to your June to-do list.
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Prune spring flowering shrubs like Forsythia after flowering.
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Prune evergreens and hedges, as needed.
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Stake or cage tomato plants, dahlias, glads and tall perennials, like peonies, and delphiniums.
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Mulch flower beds 2” to 3” deep to control weeds and conserve moisture.
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Thin vegetable seedlings and plant successive crops.
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Plant seeds for flowering cabbage and kale between rows of early vegetables for later transplanting.
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Seed fast growing flowers like cosmos, calendula, lavatera and marigolds directly in your garden.
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Move houseplants outside to a protected location. Water well.
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For my money, June 1st is the earliest to put out tender annuals.
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Deadhead the blooms and flower stocks of spring bulbs when blooms fade, so the plant won’t waist energy making seeds.
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Do not remove the foliage of spring bulbs until they fade, flop and turn yellow. The foliage builds bulb strength for next year through photosynthesis.
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Pinch back late bloomers like mums, snapdragons, asters and dahlias to promote strong, bushy plants.
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Water garden beds deeply on a regular basis.
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Weed beds after rain or watering on a regular basis. Don’t let weeds get ahead of you and out of control.
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Prepare cuttings of perennials, shrubs, roses, etc. for rooting.
