June Weather Statistics
Average
daily high: 86 degrees
Average daily low: 64 degrees
Average rainfall: 4.17 inches
• You may now remove the old, brown leaves that remain on
your spring-flowering bulbs. If you need to divide those
bulbs, now is the time, while you still have that brown
foliage to mark their location. Dig up the bulbs, break
them apart gently, mix a little bulb fertilizer in the soil
at the bottom of the new holes, plant them at the proper
depth and water in well.
•Remember that spring-planted trees and shrubs will need
extra care during the warm days ahead. Do not fertilize
these plants until next year, but keep them well-watered
throughout the summer.
•Continue to plant all kinds of beans and southern peas.
Make second plantings of tomatoes, cucumbers and squash for
a late crop when older plants are fizzling.
•Add a light fertilizer side dressing to vegetables that
have begun to set fruit. Be careful not to over fertilize
okra. Excess nitrogen will cause rank growth but little
fruit.
•All garden vegetables will benefit from an even moisture
supply when the weather heats up. This can prevent bitter
cucumbers, underdeveloped onions and blossom-end rot in
tomatoes. Supplement rainfall when there is less than one
inch per week and keep the garden mulched.
•Did you know that anything that collects more than one
tablespoon of water will support a generation of
mosquitoes? Empty and refill birdbaths and pet water dishes
at least once a week. Empty saucers under pots or eliminate
the saucers all together. Places that collect water and can
not be emptied are candidates for mosquito “dunks”-
floating rings that contain a bacteria toxic to mosquito
larvae but not to pond fish or pets.
•Rake up and discard all fallen fruit from underneath fruit
trees to discourage insects and diseases.
•Control Japanese beetles by hand picking and tossing into
a jar filled with soapy water. It is easy in the early
morning when the insects are sluggish. If you choose to
spray them with Liquid Sevin, be sure to spray in the late
evening as Sevin is toxic to bees and other beneficial
insects.
•Have all pests - weed, insect, mite, or plant disease -
properly identified before following a treatment practice.
Correct diagnosis leads to good control with minimal
environmental impact. The misuse of pesticides is not only
wasteful but can cause a number of problems in the
environment. Contact the Alamance County Cooperative
Extension Service for assistance.
•When using any pesticide, wear pesticide resistant gloves,
long pants and closed shoes. Always read and follow label
instructions and keep children and pets off treated areas
until completely dry.
• Even moisture is the key to preventing bitter cucumbers,
underdeveloped onions, and blossom-end rot in tomatoes.
Implement a regular watering schedule when rainfall is less
than one inch per week. To save water, keep the garden
mulched and use targeted drip emitter systems or soaker
hoses.
• Try hilling four inches of soil around the bases of
gladioli when they are about a foot tall to keep them from
toppling over.
• Remove spent flowers from your annuals or herbaceous
perennials to keep them blooming. Consider self-cleaning
flowers, as they save time in the garden by dropping their
dead blooms, which eliminates the need for extensive
grooming. This easy-care list includes ageratum, cleome,
gomphrena, impatiens, New Guinea impatiens, pentas, wax
begonia, and narrow-leaf zinnia.
• Watch for leaf galls on azaleas and camellias. Prune off
the fungus-infected parts. Clean your pruners with a
ten-percent bleach solution between cuts to prevent
spreading the disease.
• Continue to plant all kinds of beans and southern peas.
Make second plantings of tomatoes, cucumbers, and squash
for a late crop when older plants are fizzling.
• Add a light fertilizer to vegetables that have begun to
set fruit. Be careful not to over fertilize okra. Excess
nitrogen will cause rank growth but little fruit.
• Before you start swatting and scratching, keep in mind
that anything that collects more than one tablespoon of
water will support a generation of mosquitoes. Empty and
refill birdbaths and pet water dishes at least once a week.
Empty saucers under pots or eliminate the saucers all
together. Places that collect water and cannot be emptied
are candidates for mosquito dunks – floating rings that
contain a bacteria toxic to mosquito larvae but not to pond
fish or pets.
• Rake all fallen fruit from underneath fruit trees to
discourage insects and diseases.
• Control Japanese beetles by hand picking and tossing into
a jar filled with soapy water. This is most easily done in
the early morning when the insects are sluggish. If you
choose to spray them with Liquid Sevin, spray in the late
evening, as Sevin is toxic to bees and other beneficial
insects.
• Have all pests – weed, insect, mite, or plant disease –
properly identified before following a treatment practice.
Correct diagnosis leads to proper pest control practices
and timing of application. Incorrect diagnosis leads to
misuse of pesticides and little or no control of the pest.
Contact the Alamance County Cooperative Extension Service
for assistance at 336-570-6740. When using any pesticide,
wear pesticide resistant gloves, long pants, and closed
shoes. Always read and follow label instructions, and keep
children and pets off treated areas until completely dry.
• You may now remove the old, brown foliage left on your
spring-flowering bulbs. But, wait! If you want to move
them, now is the time, while you still have that brown
foliage to mark the spot. Dig deep to find those narcissus
bulbs, break them apart gently, mix a little bulb
fertilizer in the soil at the bottom of the new holes,
plant them at the proper depth, and water them well.
• Water spring-planted trees once a week. Water
newly-planted shrubs every three to four days throughout
the summer. Do not fertilize these plants until next year.
• Continue to plant all kinds of beans and southern peas.
Make second plantings of tomatoes, cucumbers and squash for
a late crop when older plants are fizzling.
• Add a light fertilizer side dressing to vegetables that
have begun to set fruit. Be careful not to over fertilize
okra. Excess nitrogen will cause rank growth but little
fruit.
• All garden vegetables will benefit from an even moisture
supply when the weather heats up. Even moisture is a key to
preventing bitter cucumbers, underdeveloped onions, and
blossom-end rot in tomatoes. Implement a regular watering
schedule when rainfall is less than one inch per week and
keep the garden mulched.
• Do your part to stamp out mosquitoes. Remember anything
that collects more than one tablespoon of water will
support a generation of these pests. Empty and refill
birdbaths and pet water dishes at least once a week. Empty
saucers under pots or eliminate the saucers all together.
Places that collect water and can’t be emptied are
candidates for mosquito ‘dunks’ – floating rings that
contain a bacteria toxic to mosquito larvae but not to pond
fish or pets.
• Rake up and discard all fallen fruit from underneath
fruit trees to discourage insects and diseases.
• Japanese beetles may be controlled by hand picking and
tossing into a jar filled with soapy water. This is most
easily done in the early morning when the insects are
sluggish. If you choose to spray them with Liquid Sevin, be
sure to spray in the late evening, as Sevin is toxic to
bees and other beneficial insects.
• Have all pests, whether it be weed, insect, mite or plant
disease, properly identified before following a treatment
practice. Correct diagnosis leads to proper pest control
practices and timing of application. Incorrect diagnosis
leads to misuse of pesticides and little or no control of
the pest. Contact the Alamance County Cooperative Extension
Service for assistance.
• When using any pesticide, wear pesticide resistant
gloves, long pants, and closed shoes. Always read and
follow label instructions and keep children and pets off
treated areas until completely dry.
