Summary: The west coast garden during June finds the many unfinished task to do in the garden, mulching, ranking flowers for next year’s planting, weed control, bone meal on bulbs, readying the autumn garden and enjoying the blooming “Mock Orange.”
On the west coast the month of June is a a month of accomplishments and unfinished garden tasks. Even while enjoying the satisfaction of completing one job, the busy West Coast gardener is apt to be haunted by thoughts of tasks still remaining: shade seedlings, weed and thin carrots before the weeds go to seed, note good color and foliage harmonies among annuals and perennials, mulch roses, cut dead leaves from bulbs.
If you save your own seed, June is none too soon to be noting the desirability and vigor of plant individuals to be perpetuated. In some eases, seed is ready to be gathered. Special attention must be given to seedlings in June and July for they are in danger of drying out. As in the animal kingdom, much depends on care given during early life.
Mockorange – Philadelphus karwinskyanus
The double form of evergreen Mexican mockorange or syringa as some call Philadelphus karwinskyanus (usually offered as P. mexicanus), is not as common as the single type. It is a delightful thing with blossoms like small roses – creamy white and exceedingly fragrant. This mockorange is capable of becoming a vine but is more often a large and branching shrub with arching boughs which will root at the tips. It is an excellent subject for covering a tall stump or a dump heap. If well watered, this mockorange will continue to bloom in May, June and July.
Bone Meal For Southern California Bulbs
Bulbs which bloomed in pots should now be planted outside to give them opportunity to build up for another flowering period. Forced bulbs usually require a full year to renew their strength. No matter when bulbs flower, they should be fed as soon as the bloom is over. Bonemeal is one of the the best bulb foods – it is safe and becomes available slowly. Scatter bonemeal lightly on the soil around the bulbs and scratch it in. If you are going to use a follow-up ground-cover in the bulb bed to succeed the one which flowered with the bulbs, the seed should be sown or the plants put in while some bulb foliage remains. Otherwise, there is danger of hacking into the bulbs. Some years I can find enough volunteer annuals to fill in between the bulbs. Portulaca is a good groundcover for a hot sunny bed.
Adult red spiders emerge from stems or hark now and begin their destructive work. Greet them with a blast of water from the hose and if that doesn’t discourage them, try one of the summer oil sprays. Some gardeners have good results with malathion and natural neem oil. Red spiders are very tiny and may be red, yellow or green. They puncture the epidermal cells of foliage and cause it to turn yellow and rot.
Northwest Autumn Vegetable Garden
Many amateur gardeners fail to realize how easily grown, and how satisfactory an autumn vegetable can be in the Northwest. If you plant a hardy strain of broccoli and give it rich food and good care, it will bear right through a mild winter. The plants should go into the garden this month (June) and should be spaced at least 2 feet apart. See that the soil is rich and that the plants never become dry.
by R Lester
