Winter wonder gardening
Winter is here, which gives us a break from lawnmowing, but there are still plenty of other jobs to do in the garden.
Prepare and protect
June is a great time to tidy and protect your outdoor space before the coldest winter weather arrives. Clear away fallen leaves, trim dead growth from perennials, and add mulch around shrubs and flower beds to insulate roots from frost.
- Apply a clean-up spray to bare fruit trees, use copper spray and winter oil to stop bugs and diseases from burrowing in for the winter.
- Plant new season’s strawberries. Feed with blood and bone as you plant.
- Protect seedlings, delicate crops, and spring-flowering fruit trees from Canterbury’s frosts with cloches or frost cloth overnight.
Plant for spring colour
June is ideal for planting deciduous trees, roses, and hardy bulbs such as tulips and daffodils. The cooler soil encourages strong root development while plants remain dormant. Choose sunny positions where possible, and water new plantings well after placing them in the ground.
- New season’s roses are in store, choose your favourites.
- Start pruning existing roses.
- Plant new deciduous trees
- Prune deciduous fruit trees.
Care for the vegetable patch
Winter vegetables thrive in Canterbury gardens during June. Continue harvesting silverbeet, broccoli, and spinach, while planting garlic and broad beans for future crops. Adding compost to empty beds now will improve soil structure before spring planting begins.
Top tip: June is the best time to plant garlic. Traditionally, we plant before the shortest day of the year and then harvest by the longest day.
