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Planter's Almanac: June Planting Guide

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 1, 2008

WHAT TO DO

Irrigate: Water according to the needs of plants.

Ornamental plants and fruit trees need only 1 inch of water a week. Lawns need one-half to three-quarters of an inch of water when 30 percent to 50 percent of the lawn shows signs of wilt (blue-gray color, folded blades).

Place a few shallow cans or glasses in the irrigated zone and measure how much your sprinklers apply. Adjust your timer schedule accordingly.

Fertilize citrus trees: Young trees (to 3 years old) should be fertilized every four to six weeks from February to October. Do not use a fertilizer with an analysis higher than 8-8-8. Apply 1 pound of fertilizer per year of tree age per application.

For trees older than 3 years, apply fertilizer three times each year (January-February, May-June and October). Use 1 pound of fertilizer per year of tree age up to a maximum of 10 pounds per application. Fertilize an area twice the diameter of the tree canopy.

Prune lightly: Do this to shape plants and encourage branching. Never remove more than one-third of a plant's foliage at a time.

Transplant palms: Palm roots grow when soil is moist and warm, so summer is best for establishing palms. Never allow the soil to dry out during the first several months. Apply mulch 3 to 4 inches deep.

Mow grasses frequently: Cut grass often enough so that no more than one-third of the blade height is removed per mowing. Leave clippings on the lawn to recycle nutrients, or use them as mulch or compost material.

Citrus leaf miner: Consider spraying for this small moth, which attacks new flushes of growth. Two applications of horticultural oil spray are recommended 10 to 14 days apart.

WHAT TO PLANT

Outstanding flowering plants: crape myrtle, hibiscus, mandevilla, oleander, plumbago, society garlic

Annuals: amaranthus, celosia, cleome, coleus, crossandra, gomphrena, impatiens, melampodium, narrow-leaved zinnia, ornamental pepper, portulaca, red salvia, torenia, vinca, wax begonia

Perennials: coreopsis, bush daisy, day lily, gaillardia, gazania, gerbera, golden shrimp plant, jacobinia, lantana, mallow, pentas, ruellia, salvia, Stokes aster, verbena

Vegetables: okra, Southern peas (from seed), sweet potatoes, cherry tomatoes, peppers (from plants)

Information provided by Hillsborough County Extension

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