What to Prune, Water, Mulch, and Check in Your Garden in June

June is when the garden really starts showing off. Hydrangeas are blooming, flowering shrubs are filling out, and the yard is beginning to look like all that spring work was worth the effort. Unfortunately, warmer temperatures also bring weeds, thirsty plants, insects, and the occasional leaf problem that seems to appear overnight.

This June gardening to-do list will help you stay ahead of the most important summer yard tasks without feeling overwhelmed. From checking soil moisture and refreshing mulch to inspecting shrubs for pests and taking softwood cuttings, a little attention now can keep your landscape healthy and beautiful throughout the summer.

Grab your gloves, take a walk around the yard, and tackle the list one task at a time. Your plants will thank you later.

☐ Check soil moisture before watering.
Do not rely only on how the leaves look during the hottest part of the afternoon. Hydrangeas can droop temporarily in heat. Check the soil first, then water deeply when needed.

☐ Refresh mulch around shrubs and flower beds.
Add mulch where it has become thin, but keep it pulled a few inches away from trunks and main stems. Check out our post for tips on mulching.

☐ Watch hydrangeas for leaf spots and yellow leaves.
Remove diseased leaves that have fallen to the ground. Cleaning up affected foliage can help reduce the spread of fungal problems. We have an entire post about treating common problems on Hydrangeas.

☐ Deadhead faded blooms where appropriate.
Remove spent flowers from reblooming plants to keep the landscape tidy and encourage continued blooming.

☐ Prune spring-flowering shrubs after they finish blooming.
A helpful rule from UGA Extension is that shrubs flowering before May are generally pruned after blooming, while plants flowering later are often pruned before spring growth begins.

☐ Be careful when pruning bigleaf hydrangeas.
Bigleaf hydrangeas should be pruned when blooms begin to fade. Avoid pruning after August 1 because the plant begins forming flower buds for the following year in late summer.

☐ Check plants for aphids, mites, beetles, and other pests.
Look underneath leaves and inspect new growth before a small problem becomes a large one.

☐ Pull weeds before they produce seeds.
A few minutes of weeding now can save a lot of aggravation later in the summer.

☐ Inspect irrigation hoses and sprinklers.
Make sure water is reaching the root zone rather than spraying sidewalks, driveways, or only the plant leaves.

☐ Take softwood cuttings from favorite flowering shrubs.
Visit our growing video tutorial page for step-by-step guides on topics for your landscape.

June is when the garden starts demanding a little more attention. A few minutes spent checking soil moisture, refreshing mulch, removing weeds, and inspecting plants for pests can prevent bigger problems later in the summer. Take the garden one task at a time and enjoy the blooms along the way.

Real Plants. Real People. Real Passion.