June is a great time to plant summer vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, and squash as the soil is warm and the days are long. Regular watering and mulching help retain moisture and keep weeds at bay during the hotter months. Read on for more gardening tips!

Plant Doctor Quips

Nick Macaluso, Plant Doctor at our Pyramid Way store, explains, “During the summer months you may notice some brown spots in your lawn. This is extremely common and happens every year. Do not freak out, we are here to help. The most common reason a lawn starts to brown in the summer is result from improper watering. It either stems from poor coverage or a watering schedule issue. I would suggest that you put some identical containers around your lawn i.e. cat/dog food cans or tuna cans. Place a few in the healthy sections and a few in the brown sections, then run your system. This will give you an idea of how much water each area is actually receiving. Having the right watering schedule is just as important. I like to suggest 3 short waterings, in the morning every hour starting at 5am and ending at 7am. Run each of these for 3-4 minutes and add an additional 1-2 mins in the heat of the summer as needed. To prevent wasting water it is not recommended to water your lawn for more than 15 mins on your scheduled watering days. I would also suggest you avoid fertilizing your lawn in the summer as this can increase the amount of water your lawn will need. You can always apply humic acid or humate to help green up your lawn in the summer. It may seem like your lawn has fungus, but I would highly recommend talking to a plant doctor before you apply any fungicides to your lawn. This can make the whole situation worse, and plus, we are always happy to help!“

Steve Packer, Plant Doctor at our S. Virginia store, says, “Thinning fruit is an essential practice for many fruit trees to improve fruit size, quality, and overall plant health. More importantly it helps prevent limb breakage. June is a good month to thin fruit on your fruit trees. When the fruit is about the size of a marble or dime carefully remove fruit by twisting or snipping so that the fruit is spaced every 6-8  inches for apples and pears and 5-7 inches for peaches, nectarines and plums. Cherries don’t need to be thinned. Focus on removing fruit that is smallest, misshapen or overly crowded. Your fruit trees will naturally drop some fruit in June, (a process called June drop), but you may need to do some extra thinning for bigger, better fruit.”

Jeni Ware, Plant Doctor at our S. Virginia store, says, “This is the time when we get real excited about our vegetables and herbs to eat healthy and fresh. Make sure to fertilize well with G&B Organics Tomato, and Herb Fertilizer that has added calcium to prevent blossom end rot. Spray your tomatoes and other veggie blossoms with Fertilome Tomato and Pepper Set to encourage more fruit production. Enjoy the process and your reward of fresh produce.“

Bird Nerd, Annemarie Tillotson explains, “With fledgelings ready to fly, many bird dads are giving their kids tours of all the best feeding spots in town. Make sure your yard catches their eye by offering foods high in fat and protein. Mealworms and suet help young birds grow new feathers faster, and help parents molt after hatching chicks. To give baby birds a greater chance of survival, use foods high in calcium to support bone growth as they mature.“

Rob Bouck, from our Moana Lane store, explains, “As spring draws to a close, a common question that arises is “when should I prune my spring blooming shrubs?” Spring flowering shrubs (those that bloom before mid–June) should be pruned soon after flowering has ended. Spring bloomers generally bloom on second or third year wood, or older. Do not prune these bushes in late winter/early spring; doing so will undoubtedly remove the flower buds. Examples of our spring blooming shrubs include Forsythia, Flowering Almond, Lilac, Azalea and Rhododendron. As a general rule of thumb, when pruning, never remove more than 1/3 of a tree or shrub. Always use sharp, sanitized implements for cutting, and always remove any dead or damaged wood. Strive to improve the overall shape and health of each specimen. Not all spring blooming shrubs are pruned in the same manner. For instance, pruning Rhododendrons involves carefully deadheading spent flowers. Older Forsythia and Lilacs generally benefit from removal of 1/4 to 1/3 of the oldest, largest stems at ground level, thus encouraging new, vigorous stem growth. Unsure about how to prune your specific spring blooming shrubs? Our capable Moana sales associates and plant doctors are here to answer any of your gardening questions. Thinking about adding some spring blooming shrubs to your yard? Now is a perfect time to plant. Stop in at any one of our three Moana Nursery locations and check out our extensive inventory of spring blooming shrubs.“

June
Moana Nursery High Desert Gardening
Timely Tips

  • Avoid late afternoon and evening watering to prevent leaf diseases on lawn, shrubs and especially roses.
  • Established trees, shrubs, perennials & roses must receive 1 inch of water per week throughout their root zones.
  • Continue to cultivate and weed. 
  • If not done yet, mulch garden beds immediately after weeding with 2 to 4 inches of organic material such as G&B Organics Soil Building Conditioner to retain moisture and keep weeds under control.
  • Inspect lawn for weeds. Pull out annual weeds, such as crabgrass before they go to seed. UNR Cooperative Extension recommends setting your mower at a higher height setting of 3-4”. This will reduce water stress, control weeds, and develop a healthier lawn naturally.
  • Control insect pests, including aphids, mealybugs, scale, spider mites, thrips, whitefly and others with Ladybugs and Lacewings and Fertilome Triple Action Plus. For safe and quick control of leaf chewing insects, use Captain Jack’s Deadbug Brew.
  • Check all plants weekly to be sure they are getting adequate water.  Inspect your irrigation system regularly for leaks, clogged emitters, broken/clogged heads, and other problems.  Adjust watering schedule as weather dictates.
  • To prevent brown patch and other lawn fungus diseases that begin to show up in June and July, spray your lawn with Fertilome F-Stop Fungicide or Fertilome Copper Fungicide  – especially if fungus was present last season. For best results, alternate the fungicide used each year.
  • Be watchful for signs of lawn grub damage. Consult a Moana expert to determine the true cause of your patchy lawn and for the best treatment.
  • Continue to deadhead roses by cutting flowers back to the first set of five leaflets.
  • Monitor roses closely for blackspot. Remove any leaves that show darkened circles with fuzzy margins on either side of the leaves; yellow foliage with dark spots; and any leaves that have already dropped from the plant. Dispose of infected leaves in the trash; do not compost. In the future, select disease resistant roses like Bailey’s Easy Elegance series.
  • If not done yet, renovate overgrown shrubs including red twig dogwood, lilac, and forsythia by removing one-third of the old, thick canes.
  • Prune out all ground-level sucker growth from crabapple, apple, plum, peach, or apricot trees by cutting outgrowth below soil level; treat with Bonide Sucker Punch.
  • Prune out weak, green but very fast-growing water sprouts that grow vertically from branches of fruit trees, redbuds, or other ornamental flowering trees. Treat with Bonide Sucker Punch.
  • Fertilize fruits and vegetables with G&B Organics Tomato, Vegetable & Herb Fertilizer or Fruit, Citrus & Berry Fertilizer every 2 months. For those who are starting late or just want greater planting growth, one application of Gardner & Bloome Bat Guano will give a quick boost in growth for your corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, and many others.
  • Spray tomato (and other vegetable) blossoms with Fertilome Tomato & Pepper Set to encourage more fruit production and use G&B Organics Tomato, Vegetable & Herb Fertilizer which is rich in calcium to prevent blossom end rot.
  • Monitor tomatoes and ensure that they receive an even supply of moisture instead of heavy soaking and then a drought. 
  • Monitor vegetables for symptoms of fungus or blight: soft, darkened areas, yellow and dropping leaves, sunken dark spots on otherwise green foliage. Control with Copper Fungicide and removal of infected tissues.
  • Monitor all plants for insects.  Hand-remove large insects such as tomato hornworms, cicadas, and other caterpillars.
  • For maximum fruit size and vigor, prune out excessive fruit on trees as follows: 2-4” apart for plums along stem, 3-5” apart for peaches and nectarines along stem, 1 to 2 fruits per cluster for apples and pears.
  • Continue to harvest herbs, whatever you can’t use fresh, you can dry, or freeze in small batches in an ice cube tray (with olive oil or butter, yum!).  
  • Pinch off developing flowers to retain essential oils and flavor in the plant’s foliage. Especially with basil, leaving the blooms on basil can reduce the sweetness of the leaves.
  • Mulch vegetable garden with 2 – 4” of G&B Organics Soil Building Conditioner or Purely Compost to retain moisture and control weeds.
  • Continue deadheading annuals and perennials to encourage more flowering. When deadheading annual geraniums, remove the entire stem with fading flowers.
  • Prune out the longest stem of cascading petunias weekly to prevent plants from becoming scraggly.
  • Hot dry weather can result in increased mite activity. Symptoms include stippling of foliage. Remove affected foliage and treat with Bonide Neem Oil or Monterey Natural Mite & Insect Control. Use according to the label.
  • Continue planting new perennials, ornamental grasses & roses.
  • Stake tall perennial plants.
  • Continue to guide clematis & all other soft-stemmed vines to their supports.
  • As the weather gets warmer, you may notice the increasing presence of gnats with your houseplants. We recommend using Safer Houseplant Sticky Stakes or Mosquito Bits to help get rid of these pests. Sticky stakes are effective at catching the adults, while mosquito bits are useful in targeting the eggs and larvae that live in the soil. If possible, cut back on watering your houseplants slightly to help control the gnat population, as they love damp, wet soils! 
  • Continue to fertilize your indoor plants, especially bloomers and fast-growers! Make sure to carefully read the instructions on fertilizers for the correct concentrations. If you have orchids, african violets, bromeliads, check out our stores, as we also carry fertilizers in specific concentrations for these types of plants.
  • Continue to bring indoor plants outside when nighttime temperatures are over 45°. Indoor plants will appreciate morning sunshine, but too much afternoon sun may burn their leaves. If you do bring them out, be sure to adjust your watering schedule as needed, more light usually leads to them needing more water.
  • June is the month for bird families! Birds that have been absent from your feeders for several weeks may start showing up again with reinforcements – the next generation!
  • Look for awkward perching, scruffy plumage and incessant begging, as juveniles strive to learn the skills they need to carry their species forward.
  • Add cover! Plant large/dense shrubs and plants (russian sage, viburnum, etc) nearby to offer smaller birds protection from birds of prey. 
  • As summer progresses, rufous hummingbirds will start showing up and will stay into the fall.
  • Add movement to birdbaths with Water Wigglers and Solar Bubblers to attract more birds and deter pests like mosquitos.
  • Continue offering WBU Suet or Suet Dough to warblers, nuthatches, wrens & woodpeckers.
  • Continue to put out oranges, grape jelly and nectar for orioles and sugar water for hummingbirds. Be sure to change the solution every few days or use a product with Nectar Defender in it to avoid spoilage. Spoiled nectar can be toxic to the birds, so this is very important. Try to keep feeders out of direct sunlight if possible. Remember, we offer FREE nectar refills at all 3 Moana Nursery locations!
  • Keep nectar feeders and all feeders fresh with regular cleaning. We have a selection of brushes and safe solutions to keep feeders safe and healthy.
  • Continue to supply fresh water and change it every other day to keep it clean.  To prevent the chance of disease, clean birdbaths weekly with a weak bleach solution (1-part bleach to 9 parts water) and rinse well.
  • Store bird food in a sealed container and keep in a cool dry place to prevent spoilage.
  • To ensure that bird seed is eaten quickly and stays fresh, keep feeders filled with a one- or two-day supply of seed.
  • Install a customized Wild Birds Unlimited bird feeding station where you can easily watch the birds it attracts.  It can be installed in the ground or on a deck.
  • Our Seasonal Color Team can help you with custom containers, annual planting beds or a simple refresh of your existing garden. Schedule a free consultation today!
  • Need help with your indoor plants? Contact our Interior Plant Services team. They can help you design, install, and maintain your indoor plants! Want a WOW plant presentation? Ask about installing a LIVING PLANT WALL! Examples of plant walls are available to see at both our Moana Lane and Pyramid Way locations.
  • Our expert Plant Doctors can help you with your high desert gardening;
    • Diagnose disease & insect problems on trees, shrubs & lawns;
    • Identify existing plants in your landscape and how to care for them;
    • Provide plant placement for DIY customers.
    • Stop by any location to ask questions or email plantdoctor@moananursery.com.
    • Please note on-sight consultations will not be available from April 17 – June 2, 2025.