June Garden Planting Guide: Two Experts Share Their Recommendations for Soil Sowing
Garden-Freshening Tips for a Lush Year-Round Green Space
Your garden is in good hands with head gardener Benjamin Pope and vegetable gardener Aaron Bertelsen, who are here to help keep your green oasis looking boss all year round. Check out our recommendations for the top flowers in June, must-visit gardens, and the important gardening tasks for the month.
Flower Fuelling
Planting Advice – Benjamin Pope
Although the spring planting rush has died down, there's still plenty to keep you busy. I prefer sowing biennials and perennials now or next month, letting them grow to a suitable size before planting them out before winter arrives. I adore the soaring spires of Digitalis in all its forms, from charming biennials like Digitalis purpurea 'Sutton's Apricot', to the perennial species, including Digitalis lutea and Digitalis parviflora.
A real delight is Verbascum blattaria f. albiflorum, which I like to scatter around borders and path edges.
For cutting or bedding out, consider sweet Williams (Dianthus barbatus), such as the vibrant 'Oeschberg', richly dark 'Sooty', the bi-colour 'Purple Crown' and 'Sweet Pink Magic'.
If you have space, consider succession sowing of beetroots, carrots, or salad leaves and herbs, especially if your existing crops are nearing maturity or bolting.
Any remaining gaps can be filled by fast-growing annuals, like Bupleurum rotundifolium, calendula and tagetes. Just remember that these plants will require additional watering, especially during hot, dry weather.
Planting Advice – Aaron Bertelsen
Many underrate perpetual spinach, but for me, it's an essential crop. Simple to grow, productive, and not prone to producing seeds easily, it's a reliable source of fresh leaves throughout the year with a bit of winter warmth. Later, when it finally produces seeds, you can harvest the entire plant, including the stems, remaining leaves, and seedheads, and enjoy them steamed as a side dish. It's a rugged, cost-effective choice. Just remember to frequently pick the leaves to encourage new growth.
Sow the seeds in a 10cm pot under glass or on the windowsill. Once the seedlings have their true leaves, transplant them into the ground or a pot, leaving a trowel's length between plants in an open area and less in a pot. Direct sowing is possible, but watch out for slugs that might be attracted to the new growth. Once the seedlings grow large enough, thin them out to use the thinnings raw in a salad.
Planting Out
By now, your tomato plants should be ready to be transplanted. Follow the temps rather than the plants' size— tomatoes require time to ripen, so aim to get them in the ground when nightly temperatures stay above 7°C. Most tomato problems are soil-borne; rotate the planting location every five to six years in the garden, and use fresh compost annually in containers to avoid issues. Add stakes before planting, and make sure they're solid enough to support your future 1m-plus plant and its fruit. Water well and regularly to prevent fruit splitting as they develop.
As the plants grow, tie the main stem to the stake using twine. After a month or so, give them a good feed with liquid seaweed or tomato food. Be careful when watering to avoid splashing soil on the leaves, which could lead to disease. Remove lower leaves to make watering easier, and use French marigolds nearby to repel pests with their scent.
- Benjamin Pope suggests sowing biennials and perennials like Digitalis or sweet Williams for a beautiful year-round landscape.
- Aaron Bertelsen highlights perpetual spinach as an essential crop, easy to grow and productive throughout the year.
- For quick growth and filling remaining gaps in your garden, consider annuals such as Bupleurum rotundifolium, calendula, and tagetes, but be aware they require additional watering.
- Tomato plants should be transplanted when nightly temperatures stay above 7°C, make sure to rotate the planting location every five to six years in the garden to avoid soil-borne diseases.
