Your June Garden To-Do List...

June, the start official start of Winter in the garden, though this year it may be relatively mild as we head into to a super El Nino and also a neutral to negative Indian dipole. Both keeping our average temps on the warmer side, and both bringing less frequent rains, not that it seems like it this week. Also time for the shortest day of the year on the 21st June, the Winter Solstice, giving us an approximant 10hrs and 26 mins of day light and UV of 3.5.

Garlic planted late March, ready for some lettuce and beet companions,

Now is the perfect time to plan building projects to complete over the cooler school holidays with your kids and grandkids, or even just on your weekends as some solo garden time. With the days being cool and the UV being at its lowest, we gain quite a few extra happy hours in the garden safe from the sunburns and heat exhaustion of summer.

For June there are a few jobs to keep you occupied around the garden and also still seeds/seedlings to plant, plus the continuing harvests.

To-Do...

• Mulch pathways and garden beds, leaf litter is best, but sugar cane is a great alternative and in abundance, just choose organic where possible

• Plant fruit trees and roses

• Take any hardwood cuttings to graft this month

• Prune deciduous fruit trees now, first prune out any diseased or damaged wood, crossed branches and inwards facing branches. Finally prune for size. Check the specific tree type for best style of pruning.

• Feed the soil microbes and support them over winter. Apply compost brews and extracts to developing vegetables, particularly those in the cabbage family

• Prune autumn fruiting raspberries to soil level

• Replant strawberry runners

• Last chance to prune kiwi and currents

• Last chance to plant bare root shrubs and trees before solstice

• Clean and repair garden tools

• Clean and disinfect seedling trays and cells. Put in sun to solar sterilize.

• Snip weeds off at ground level and hot compost before seeds start, dig out Bindii in lawns now, to prevent seeds and painful steps in spring

• Deadhead spent flowers you are not keeping for seed

• Inquire about fruit trees to suit your area

• Put out and clean water containers for birds and wildlife

• Check moister content of your compost pile and worm farms

What to plant and sow for June...

Flowers to plant

SEEDS...

• Alyssum

• Cornflower

• Cosmos

• Dianthus

• Larkspur

• Lupin

• Petunia

• Salvia

SEEDLINGS...

• Alyssum

• Dianthus

• Lupin

• Pansy

• Petunia

• Salvia

• Stock

• Sunflower

• Viola

Vegetables to plant

SEEDS...

• Bean

• Beetroot

• Broccoli

• Cabbage

• Carrot

• Cucumber

• Leek

• Lettuce

• Melons

• Onions (late and Spring)

• Pea (last month for snow peas)

• Pumpkin

• Radish

• Silver beet

• Spinach

• Tomato

• Zucchini

SEEDLINGS...

• Broccoli

• Cabbage

• Cauliflower

• Celery

• Leek

• Onions (late)

• Silver beet

• Spinach

• Tomato

So this month, plan and focus on infrastructure, fruit trees and enriching your soils ready for a jump in to pre spring planting in August.