The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

Gardening tips for the month of June

• Gardeners who want to eliminate crab apple fruit on the lawn can use ethephon or naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). Spray when fruit is small. Follow label directions.

• Hand thin apples to no more than two fruit per cluster.

• It is impossible to kill worms in apple trees after they have penetrated the apples. To protect apples form worm damage, clean up debris around the tree and spray at 10 day intervals after the petals have fallen. Malathion works well using 1 tablespoon/gallon of water). Follow label directions. Spray tree to wet the leaves and branches until they are dripping. Remove and destroy all fallen apples, and clean up debris.

• Remove flower stalks from rhubarb as they appear.

• The rather large, orange, ugly-looking growths located on the ends of juniper branches following a wet period are a fungus signifying the juniper stage of cedar-apple rust. Cedar-apple rust causes cosmetic damage only. Pick the growths off as they appear.

• Once lawn is fertilized, gardeners must irrigate all summer. Mid to late June irrigating requires a minimum of two inches of water per week. A tuna fish can is a great measuring device.

• Cut asparagus spears while the bracts on the heads are tightly closed, and there is purple coloration.

• Prune lilacs. Dehead young bushes and flowers right after the bloom is spent.

• Divide and replant old clumps of flowering bulbs after blooms are spent.

• Transplant non-dormant trees and shrubs (containerized trees only).

• Mow cool season grasses at 2-1/4 to 2-1/2 inches all summer. Lawn grass mown on the high side requires less water because of shading.

• Side dress tomatoes and corn with fertilizer one month after planting.

• Don’t fertilize plants after Father’s day. You do not want to generate new growth on plants when the plants are coping with extremely high temperatures.

• Try old beer in a dish if there is a garden slug problem.

Information for this article came from the MSU Extension Montana gardener’s book of days and the MSU Extension Montana Master Gardener Handbook which are both available for purchase from the MSU Extension Chouteau County Office.

Montana State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Montana Counties Cooperating. MSU Extension is an equal opportunity/affirmative action provider of educational outreach.