This time of year, enjoy morning glory groundcover and other annuals and perennials, such as vinca, cockscomb and tickseed. (Photo: Jeannette Warnert)

Tasks

• Consider removing groundcovers, turfgrass or annual flowers from little-used garden areas such as parking strips, medians or lawn “islands.”
• Cover bare soil with a layer of mulch. This reduces weeds and helps the soil retain moisture.
• Harvest vegetables and annuals regularly. Harvest apricots, berries, figs, plums and nectarines.
• Wash aphids and white flies off plants with water or insecticidal soap.

Pruning

• Deadhead annuals and perennials to encourage re-bloom.  Prune lightly to avoid vigorous re-growth.
• Deadheading roses encourages reblooming.

Fertilizing

• Avoid fertilizing herbs as too much fertilizer reduces flavor and fragrance.

Planting

• Midsummer in the Valley is typically not the best time for planting. New plants struggle to get established in high temperatures, low humidity and intense sunlight.

Enjoy now

• Annuals and perennials: vinca (Catharanthus), cockscomb (Celosia), morning glory (Convolvulus), tickseed (coreopsis).
• Bulbs, corms, tubers: dahlia, fortnight lily (Dietes).
• Trees, shrubs, vines: bougainvillea, escallonia.
• Fruits and vegetables: blueberries, carrots, corn, cucumber.

Things to ponder

• Do not spray herbicides when daily temperatures exceed 100 degrees to prevent the spray from vaporizing.
• Protect neighboring plants with a cardboard shield when spraying herbicides.
• Watch for leaf drop, wilting or folded leaves which are the first signs of heat stress.
• Weeds compete with landscape plants for space, water and sunlight. Remove existing weeds by hand pulling, hoeing or the application of appropriate herbicides following label instructions.  A 2-3” layer of mulch will suppress weed seed germination in the future and help conserve soil moisture.

June days are the longest of the year - take advantage of the extra hours in your garden.

Tasks

• Check drip irrigation lines and emitters for leaks or clogs and adjust to provide adequate moisture.
• Thin fruit on stone and pome fruit trees.
• Spider mites can be discouraged by rinsing dust from foliage.
• Stake tall, weak-stemmed flowers.

After harvesting berries, cut spent canes to the ground. (Photo: Sarah del Pozo)

• Cut spent canes to the ground after harvesting berries. Attach new canes to the trellis for next year's crop.
• Prune azaleas, camellias, and hydrangeas after bloom.

Fertilizing

• Reduce or eliminate fertilizer for landscape trees and shrubs, unless used to remedy nutrient deficiencies.
• Do not feed plants if they are water stressed.

Planting

• Limit planting during hot weather, as newly installed plants require frequent irrigation while root systems become established.

Enjoy now

• Annuals and perennials: Lily-of-the-Nile (Agapanthus), aster, fibrous begonia (Begonia semperflorens), Coneflowers (Rudbeckia).
• Bulbs, corms, tubers: giant allium (Allium), canna.
• Trees, shrubs, vines: abelia, desert willow (Chilopsis linearis), flowering maple (Abutilon).
• Fruits and vegetables: fuji apple, apricot, beans, eggplant.

Things to ponder

• Adjust lawn mower setting to cut lawn higher. Set mower to 2½ to 3 inches for tall fescue, ¾ inches to 1 inch for common bermuda, and ½ to ¾ inches for hybrid bermuda.
• Use less toxic insecticidal products such as insecticidal soaps or neem oil.
• Annuals such as pansies, petunias, and snapdragons are best planted in pots where they can provide a splash of color by an entrance rather than planted in beds where they will need more water.

Warm summer evenings in Fresno are perfect for backyard barbecues. (Photo: Pixabay)

Tasks

• Be sure your watering schedule conforms to new guidelines. Check sprinkler timer settings at least once a month.
• Water citrus being careful not to overwater. Continuously wet soil in the upper few inches risks root rot.
• Be sure mower blades are sharp. Clean cuts to the lawn reduce stress and the need for water.
• If severe drought restrictions are in place, concentrate on keeping your trees watered.

Pruning

• Fire blight is best pruned out in winter, but if the infection is spreading rapidly in a pear or apple tree during the growing season, prune out the infected growth as soon as it appears.
• Prune blackberries, raspberries and other caneberries after harvest.

Fertilizing

• Fertilize almond, apple, peach, nectarine, and plum.
• Apply a light feeding to summer flowers and vegetables. Water thoroughly after application.

Planting

• Spring planting season is over; keep recent plantings and transplants well-watered.

Enjoy now

• Annuals and perennials: Santa Barbara Daisy (Erigeron), blanket flower (Gaillardia), sunflower (Helianthus), strawflower (Helichrysum).
• Bulbs, corms, tubers: giant allium.
• Trees, shrubs, vines: Butterfly bush (Buddleja), Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis), Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), morning glory (Ipomoea), lantana.
• Fruits and vegetables: figs, potatoes, squash, tomatoes.

Things to ponder:

• A walk around the garden just before dark can be a good opportunity to hunt for snails as they emerge to feed at night.
• If it rains in June, expect fruit damage.

We can complain that roses have thorns or rejoice that thorn bushes have roses. ~ Abraham Lincoln (Photo:Amy Tobin)

• Avoid cutting lawns too severely because the resulting stress causes yellowing.
• Water citrus being careful not to over water. Continuously wet soil in the upper few inches risks root rot.
• Hand pick hoplia beetles from white and yellow rose blossoms.

Pruning

• Remove spent blooms. Cut back annuals that have stopped blooming to encourage rebloom.
• De-candle black pines to encourage compact growth.

Fertilizing

• Avoid fertilizing herbs as too much fertilizer reduces flavor and fragrance.
• Last fertilization of citrus this month for this year.

Planting

• Spring planting season is over. Anything planted this month will need careful watering.
• Bulbs, corms, tubers: fall flowering (Crocus).
• Fruits and vegetables: corn, cucumber, plant from seed at timed intervals to prolong harvest.
• Annuals: globe amaranth (Gomphrena), lobelia.

Enjoy now

• Annuals and perennials: fibrous begonia (Begonia semperflorens), clustered bellflower, cockscomb (Celosia), morning glory (Convolvulus tricolor).
• Bulbs, corms, tubers: gladiolus.
• Trees, shrubs, vines: bird of paradise (Caesalpinia), bottlebrush (Callistemon), fringe tree (Chionanthus).
• Fruits and vegetables: apriums, cherry, cucumber, eggplant.

Things to ponder

• Garden and harvest crops in the cooler morning or evening hours.
• Never use honey, artificial sweeteners, or red food coloring in hummingbird nectar.