By JayDee Gunnell
To help make your yard and garden the best they can be this year, consider these tips from Utah State University Extension’s Gardeners Almanac.
- Discontinue harvesting asparagus spears 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 every 5-6 inches.
- Apply a second application of pre-emergent herbicides in late May to early June to control annual weeds in the lawn such as crabgrass and spurge.
- Remember that turfgrass only needs 1 to 1 ½ inches of irrigation per week. See 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.
- Use control measures in apples and pears to reduce wormy fruit. For specific timing, see the Utah Pests Advisories.
- Treat for powdery mildew on apples beginning 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 our 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 our Utah Pests Advisories.
- Monitor for damaging turfgrass insects. In areas previously damaged, consider a preventative (systemic) insecticide.
- Consider taking an online gardening course. Courses cover everything from container vegetable gardening and creating the perfect soil to planting trees and controlling pests and are geared to both beginning and professional gardeners. Use the code SPRING25 for 25% off a course!
- Explore more gardening tips on Extension’s yard and garden website.
- Click here to see a video of June gardening tips.