6 Things Every Gardener Should Do in June, According to Experts

Add summer veggies and herbs to your garden

Planting season isn’t quite over yet! “Certain heat-loving vegetable and herb plants can be planted in June when the soil is adequately warmed up and the threat of frost has passed, especially in northern locations with a longer winter,” says Sydni D’Amico, plant expert at Fast Growing Trees.

June still gives you a long enough stretch for many edible plants to thrive and produce for you, including watermelon, corn, summer squash, and peppers—plus it’s never too late to round out your herb garden with thyme, oregano, basil, or sage.

Make sure your mulch and irrigation system is ready

Water waste can be a major issue—especially if you live somewhere where drought and water restrictions have become a regular feature of summer. June is the time to give your plants a fresh layer of mulch, which can provide a ton of benefits to your garden. “Mulching around your plants helps to suppress weeds, which reduces competition for water and nutrients, as well as retaining soil moisture,” D’Amico says. “Mulch also helps to improve the structure of soils, since as it decomposes, it improves soil aeration and drainage.”

To make the most of any watering you do, consider investing in a drip irrigation hose or system that directs all the water you use right where you want it—to your plants’ roots.

Take a pass at weeding

June is when the weeds really start to show up in your garden—but haven’t gotten so entrenched that you’ll have to work hard to remove them. “June is a good time to assess your garden for any overgrown weeds that may have popped up throughout spring,” D’Amico says. She suggests keeping about two to three feet around your plants clear of weeds to help your plants thrive. “The roots of weeds and grass can compete for resources and overcrowd your landscape plants.”

Transition from spring to summer annuals

Annuals aren’t meant to last forever—and if you planted a lot of spring-blooming annuals to brighten up your garden, June is the time to make the transition to the next batch. “Spring annuals typically die off in late spring or early summer, so June is a great time to go around the garden and prune back or pull up any dead spring annuals and replace them with summer annuals such as petunias and geraniums,” D’Amico says.

Deadhead and prune the spring bloomers

Many of your favorite spring-blooming perennials need a quick prune or deadheading session. “June is the perfect time to go around the garden and ‘deadhead’ the spent blooms leftover from spring-blooming plants such as lilacs, roses, viburnum, camellias, and rhododendrons,” D’Amico says. Pruning off dried, old blooms not only helps improve how your garden looks now—it helps strengthen the plant and encourages more blooms in the future.

Check for pests

As your gardens grow, so does the risk of pest infestations, D’Amico says. “June is a great time to inspect the plants in your garden for any pest damage.”

Some common pest damage to look out for:

• Irregular holes with smooth edges (snail or slug damage)
• Discolored or yellowing leaves (aphid damage)
• Lace-like damage on foliage (Japanese beetle damage)

Applying neem oil spray can help with some pests, but it’s best to try to identify your pest so you can use the most effective treatment.