Tips and tasks in the vegetable garden

  • By Cleve Campbell
  • /
  • June 2015 - Vol. 1 No. 6

June is a busy month in the vegetable garden — there’s planting, weeding, mulching, harvesting, looking for that little extra space to plunk in that one more pepper or tomato plant.  Did I say weeding?

But let’s start with planting.  June is a good month for planting beans and squash and plenty of other vegetables.  Take a look at the handy-dandy chart below, which was developed using the Virginia Cooperative Extension Publication 426-331, “Vegetable Planting Guide and Recommended Planting Dates.

June 1-6 June 7-13
Bush Beans Bush Beans
Pole Beans Pole Beans
Lima beans Lima beans
Wax Beans Wax Beans
Cucumbers Cucumbers
Eggplant* Egg Plant*
Muskmelons Muskmelons
Okra Okra
Peppers Peppers
Pumpkins Pumpkins
Southern Peas Southern Peas
Sweet Corn Sweet Corn
Summer Squash Summer Squash
Winter Squash Winter Squash
Sweet Potato Sweet Potato
Tomatoes* Tomatoes*
Watermelon Watermelon
June 14- 20 June 21-30
Bush Beans Bush Beans
Pole Beans Pole Beans
Lima beans Lima beans
Wax Beans Wax Beans
Cucumbers Cucumbers
Eggplant* Egg Plant*
Muskmelons Muskmelons
Okra Okra
Peppers Peppers
Pumpkins Pumpkins
Southern Peas Southern Peas
Sweet Corn Sweet Corn
Summer Squash Summer Squash
Winter Squash Winter Squash
Sweet Potato Sweet Potato
Tomatoes* Tomatoes*
Watermelon
* Denotes Transplants
The suggested dates may vary for different areas.

June Tasks

Thin seedlings of carrots and beets to proper spacing, about 4-5 inches to avoid crowding.

Apply organic mulches such as leaves, straw and clean grass to conserve water, suppress weed germination, and enrich soil as the mulch decays.

Repeat plantings of corn and beans to extend the harvest season.

Monitor soil moisture.  As a general rule, vegetables require about an inch of water per week during the growing season. Soaker hoses or drip irrigation make the most efficient use during dry spells.

Asparagus — stop harvesting when spears become thin.

 

 

Photo Credit: Cleve Campbell

Photo Credit: Cleve Campbell

Growing lettuce under a shade screening material will slow bolting and extend the harvest season. Also try planting bolt-resistant varieties such as Muir, Sierra and Nevada.

Sow new warm-season vegetable seeds after harvesting.

Continue to mound soil up around the potatoes to prevent them from being exposed to the sun and turning green. You can also add a layer of straw or leaf mulch to help control weeds.

Tips:

Herbs planted in average soil need no fertilizer. Too much fertilizer may reduce flavor and pungency.

To control earworms on corn plants: apply several drops of mineral oil to the corn silk every 3 to 7 days.

Thin overloaded fruit trees; this will result in larger and better fruit at harvest time.

Renovate the strawberry patch after harvest. Mow the rows, thin out excess plants and apply mulch for weed control.