June is all about maintenance.🌿
This month, we are focusing on caring for summer crops that seem to grow lightning-fast every week! To sustain this explosive growth, they need weekly attention to stay healthy and strong.
It is also a crucial period to be alert to pests that are starting to show their impact. For us, the focus is currently on keeping damage caused by moth caterpillars under control. Read below what this specifically means for your garden!
🌱 What to sow in June?
New / first sowings
Brussels sproutsl → Start with this now! Sow them no later than early July, so they have enough time to grow into a beautiful winter harvest.
Succession sowings (as soon as possible, preferably in the first half of June)
Pumpkin, pole beans, cucumber, courgette, sweet corn, sunflower & parsnip → Do you want to extend your harvest or fill empty spots? Then sow them as soon as possible in the first two weeks of the month. If you are later, consider planting out a cultivated plant immediately to save time.
Sow continuously (during June & July)
Green beans, carrots, beetroot, celery, spring onion, summer purslane, basil, dill & parsley → Continue sowing these crops in June and July, depending on the available space, so that you can enjoy a constant supply of fresh vegetables and herbs throughout the entire summer.
🌿 What to plant out in June?
At this stage of the season, transplanting well-developed seedlings gives you a significant head start. Focus this month on:
Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, okra & cucumbers → Ensure these heat-loving plants are in their final, sunny spot to benefit optimally from the long days.
Melons & watermelons → Plant these out now, while soil and night temperatures are stably warm.
🛠️ Activities
Leaf pruning for tomato & cucumber → In addition to removing recurring side shoots, it is now time for leaf management. Remove all lower leaves and leave only the top 4–6 layers of leaves. This significantly improves air circulation and helps the plants stay healthy and stress-free during the hot summer.
Give more water (not more often!) → Stick to a schedule of deep watering (at least 3–5 minutes per bed, once a week). Watering less often but thoroughly encourages roots to grow deeper into the soil, where it is cooler and more moist. This is much better for plant health than daily superficial watering.
Monitor pests:
- Caterpillar damage caused by moths → We occasionally see feeding damage on the leaves of beets, chard, celery, herbs (especially mint and sage), and flowers such as dwarf marigolds. Check your plants carefully when you see damage and remove the caterpillars to limit the damage and prevent a second generation from causing much more destructive damage later in the summer. Check your plants thoroughly and remove affected leaves from the garden immediately.
- Aphids → The populations seem to be declining. Simply brush them off the leaves by hand or rinse them away with water to help your plants through the peak period. You certainly need to give your plants a helping hand with black bean aphids, as they often associate with ants that keep all natural enemies away from the black bean aphids.
- Leaf miners & snails → Continue removing lower leaves that show the typical 'tunnels' and check damp areas and around water sources for slugs, especially on young plants.
- Caterpillar damage caused by cabbage white butterflies → Check the heart of remaining cabbage crops for green caterpillars and remove them by hand, or protect the plants with nets for easier maintenance. Make sure to seal the nets properly! It is also possible that eggs have already been laid, so continue to check those cabbage crops closely.