June: Month of roses and strawberries, peonies, and fresh, crunchy garden salads. They鈥檙e all later than usual in this late year though. I鈥檓 in the habit of taking a听big bouquet of peonies and roses to a neighbour and friend on the occasion of her birthday on June听2. Not this year. The plants were all full of buds, but no flowers had opened.
I have been able to share salad greens though. The first lettuces and endive had sized up nicely by around mid-May. They are as pretty as flowers in the garden, in my view 鈥� lacy rosettes of endive, thickly packed bunches of听baby oak leaf lettuce and miniature Tom Thumb butterheads. A surprise addition to the salad garden materialized when sprightly green carpets of self-sown cilantro appeared between and around the pea rows.
It鈥檚 been such an odd spring that usual gardening schedules are somewhat skewed, but here are a few staple June projects to consider:
鈥� Lilacs. An up side to the late season was the heady scent of lilacs lingering into early June. Now it鈥檚 time to set the shrubs up for next spring鈥檚 flowering. Remove the faded flower heads, making the cuts at the bases of their stems. If听a lilac needs reshaping or a reduction in size, make those cuts听right above a pair of nodes (bumps indicating points of potential growth) that are arranged directly opposite each other on the stem. Those nodes will produce flowering growth. Following pruning, lime the root area, fertilize, and apply a nourishing compost mulch layer.
鈥� Roses. As you cut roses for the听house from repeat blooming plants, prune to promote good follow-up flowering by making the听cuts right above a leaf stem carrying five leaflets.
鈥� Rhododendrons. Overgrown rhododendrons can be cut back after flowering to reduce their size. Fertilize and mulch after the听bloom period.
鈥� Tomatoes. As staked tomatoes lengthen, watch for 鈥渟uckers鈥� developing in the V created where leaf stems meet the main stem. Snap them off while they are still听small. For extra plants of early tomato varieties, pot a few suckers and keep them out of direct sun while they root. New growth on the suckers will indicate rooting is underway and the plants can be moved into the garden.
鈥� Father鈥檚 Day is coming up soon. Begin looking for that perfect book, tool, garden ornament, bird听bath or plant to delight the听gardening father in your home.
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GARDEN EVENTS
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Peninsula meeting. The Peninsula Garden Club will meet on Monday, 7听p.m. in the Mary Winspear Centre in Sidney. Dion Latavniks,鈥漈he Rose Lady,鈥� will describe ten steps to successful rose growing 鈥� an informed and relaxing approach to growing all types of听roses. Non-member drop-in fee $5. The听evening will include a parlour show,听plant stall, library access, and refreshments.
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Government House plant sales. On听Tuesdays and Thursdays from June 13 to听Aug. 31 sales will be open at听the Government House Plant Nursery next to听the Tea Room. Proceeds go into听the maintenance and enhancement of the gardens at Government House, 1401听Rockland Ave.
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VIRAGS meeting. The Vancouver Island Rock and Alpine Garden Society will meet on Tuesday, from 7 to 9 p.m. outdoors at 840 Sayward Rd. in Victoria. Jiri Papousek, from Prague, will speak about the diversity of methods for growing alpines in the Czech garden. Come early to tour the gardens. Visitors听are welcome. Admission is听by听donation.
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Qualicum meeting. The Qualicum Beach Garden Club will meet on Tuesday,听7 p.m. in the Q.B. Civic Centre, 740 Jones St. Linda Gilkeson, pest control听specialist, will off er tips for the summer food garden, how to manage common fruit and vegetable pests, sowing for a winter harvest, thinning and听pruning fruit trees. Guest fee $5. Linda鈥檚 books will be available for purchase. lindagilkeson.ca.
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Water garden tour. For the Love of Africa Society is presenting its 11th Annual Water Garden Tour of 10 Greater Victoria water gardens on Saturday, July听8, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p-.m. Designers will be present to answer questions, along with musicians and artists at some of the gardens. Proceeds go to projects in听Tanzania. Tickets at $25 are available now at most Greater Victoria garden centres. Visit watergardentour.ca for a list of vendors or for online sales, or听call 250-891-0762.