Gardeners are entering a crucial and busy period as they strive to ensure a successful harvest. Key tasks include planting remaining seedlings, providing essential nutrients, aerating the soil, and maintaining consistent watering schedules.

By mid-June, all vegetable seedlings, including tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and cucumbers, should be planted. Gardeners should also plant pumpkins and zucchini, either as seedlings or directly from seeds.

Peas and corn can still be sown now, although they will mature later in the season. Radishes and greens can be planted continuously throughout the season, preferably in cooler, shaded areas. Spinach, lettuce, and other leafy crops can also be sown in June.

Favorable days for planting various crops are indicated by the lunar calendar: June 14, 21, 22, 29, and 30 are optimal for tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and cucumbers, while June 21, 22, 29, and 30 are best for greens. Flower garden activities will be most successful on June 6, 7, 8, and 10. Mineral fertilizers should be applied around June 11, 12, 13, 16, 18, 21, and 22.

Beyond planting, essential tasks include tying up tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants if this wasn’t done during planting, and additionally sowing cucumbers. Regular weeding and loosening of the soil are vital. Garlic and onions should be fertilized with nitrogen at least once to combat nitrogen deficiency from frequent watering in hot weather.

Throughout June, cucumbers should be carefully trained, both in greenhouses and gardens. In greenhouses, tomatoes need to be pinched. Vegetables benefit from organic matter fertilization at least once, while cucumbers need feeding every ten days. All crops should be tied up as they grow, and the soil must be kept moist and loose.

Potatoes require special attention, including watering (preferably twice), hilling at least once, and timely treatment against the Colorado potato beetle.

In flower gardens, plants need protection from pests like ants, which can be controlled with boric acid and flour baits. “Green Soap” can be sprayed to combat aphids and other pests, and biological preparations like “Fitoferm,” “Entobacterin,” and “Fitosporin” are also effective.

Regular weeding of the flower garden is crucial to prevent weed growth and seed dispersal. Flowers should be loosened regularly to retain moisture and promote growth. Organic matter, such as infusions of chicken manure or fermented grass, should be applied every two weeks. Watering should be adjusted to the soil’s dryness, potentially increasing to twice a week during hot weather.

Before mid-June, lilacs and spireas should be pruned, and annuals should be planted. Peonies should be tied up, and tulips should be cut, dried, and dug up.