Gardener's Almanac Checklist for June

It has been said that June is the gateway to summer. With that comes many opportunities to be out in the yard and garden. Utah State University Extension’s Gardener’s Almanac provides a checklist of tasks for June as well as links for tips and further information.

Tasks:

Harvesting of asparagus spears should stop in early June to allow the fronds to form for the rest of the growing season.
Prune tomatoes to open the canopy of the plant.
Consider drip irrigation in the garden to conserve water.
Consider planting sweet corn in the garden every other week (until early July) to extend the harvest.
Prune spring flowering shrubs (those that bloom before June) after they have bloomed to encourage new flower buds for next season.
Deadhead (cut off) spent blossoms of perennial and annual flowers.
Thin the fruit of apples, peaches and apricots to approximately one fruit in every 5-6 inches.
Apply a second application of pre-emergent herbicides in early June to control annual weeds in the lawn such as crabgrass and spurge.
Turfgrass only needs 1-1 ½ inches of irrigation per week. Click here for irrigation needs in your area.

Pests and Problems:

Monitor vegetables and herbs for earwig damage.
Protect ash trees with a registered chemical to prevent lilac/ash borer damage.
Control Codling moth in apples and pears to reduce wormy fruit. For specific timing, see the Utah Pests Advisories.
Treat for powdery mildew on apples when leaves are emerging (at 1/2 inch green) until June.
Watch for insect pests in raspberries from mid-May thru early June. For specific timing, see the Utah Pests Advisories.
Control the Western cherry fruit fly when fruit changes color from straw color to pink to avoid maggots in cherries.
Control the Peach twig borer in peaches, nectarines and apricot trees. For specific timing see the Utah Pests Advisories.
Monitor for damaging turfgrass insects. In areas previously damaged, consider a preventative (systemic) insecticide.

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