With June now underway, it’s time to pull out your Tallahassee yard’s checklist. During this month there are six “must-do” items Dickerson Landscaping and Lawn Care recommend every Leon County homeowner do so their yard stays vibrant as temperatures rise.
How much should you water in June?
We all know that June 1st kicked off our hurricane season, and watching the weather daily, is a crucial part of our lives. On average daily temperatures are typically 90 degrees or higher, which includes higher humidity too. The surface of the soil, however, will usually dry quickly as the extreme heat settles in for the summer.
With the warmer temperatures on the rise now more than ever, care with how often and how much to water comes down to knowing what plants have shallow roots and what has a deep root system. It’s pretty easy to find out. Annual flowers usually have a shallow root system, so they’ll get watered occasionally. Lawns and shrubs, however, typically have a deep root system and only need watering once a week.
What’s blooming in June?
On your June checklist, break down summer-flowering plants into three categories. These plant types blooming in June are:
1) annuals and perennials
2) trees
3) shrubs
**Do note not every annual and perennial, tree or shrub are summer-flowering plants.
The more you know about each plant category you eliminate the possibility of harming your plants, i.e., fertilizing too soon when you should have been watering, mowing when should have been composting, and so on.
Should you plant or transplant in June?
It all boils down to this; can the plant, tree or shrub you want to plant, or transplant adapt to the rising Tallahassee heat quickly? If you are not sure, contact us for assistance. Due to the rapidly rising temperatures, June is not our area’s peak time of the season for this activity. There are a couple of exceptions, however. You can still plant some trees and shrubs that are container grown, but you must be careful and watchful when watering.
What’s the pruning rule for June?
When you begin pruning and pinching back in June, your fall-blooming perennials, it results with more flowering and bushier plants later in the season. We do recommend that you stop pruning and pinching in August. If you discover these flowers have finished flowering, remove all the old blooms. By cutting the faded flower just below the bloom will introduce vigorous growth. As for hedges and tightly clipped plants pinch back as needed.
Should you fertilize in June?
For June, fertilize your annual flowers and roses every month. For your fruit trees, now is the month you continue feeding them. If your lawn is on a fertilizing scheduled program, follow the recommendations, your professional landscaping company provided. If you do not have a plan in place, contact us here at Dickerson Landscaping and Lawn Care for more information.
What plant pests to watch for in June?
Along with higher temperatures and humidity in June, you will notice your flowers, trees, and shrubs getting invaded by insects and disease pests. Three commonly unwanted guests are the Aphids, Spittlebugs, and Chinch bugs. These intruders can turn a beautiful landscape into a wasteland if not carefully monitored.
Due to our tropical climate, we can never eliminate these plant and tree insect or disease species from our yards. They will return year after year. However, there are processes in place for monitoring and managing an outbreak.
In Conclusion
June is a very active month for blooms, growth, pests, and continuous care. For your landscape to remain healthy and stay robust during this time of year, water as needed, always plant with caution and monitor for any pest outbreaks.
If you found Did You Add These to Your Yard’s June Checklist, then check out our other article “Irrigation Lawn Care for a Healthy Tallahassee Yard. (Questions & Answers).”