Extension Column

June gardening tasks

The month all gardeners have been waiting for is upon us. Now that nighttime temperatures are above 50 degrees Fahrenheit and staying consistently into the mid-50s, we can plant many more plants in our gardens.

It is safe to plant out the geraniums, petunias and any other annual you want to use in your landscape. If you prefer to start some things from seed, now is the time to plant out California poppy seed, morning glory, four o’clock and many more.

It is time to start acclimating those indoor plants by moving them outside for the day and taking them in at night. Do this over a period of a week and they should be acclimated to the outdoor environment. However, I would recommend taking any precautions to protect these indoor plants from wind and hail damage.

If you want to plant buffalo grass, this is the ideal month. Now through August the buffalo seed or plugs will have the optimal temperature to grow. There are many new cultivars to choose with buffalo grass. If you are looking for seed varieties, Bowie, Cody, Plains and Topgun are available. If you are looking for vegetative plugs or even sod, Legacy, Prestige and Turffalo are the most winter hardy below 6,500 feet according to Colorado State University Turf Specialist, Tony Koski.

The best part about having buffalo, blue grama or the newer Dog Tuff™ Plant Select variety is not having to mow every week. Mowing can be extended to 10 to 20 days. With Dog Tuff ™ you do not have to mow at all. It reaches a height of four inches. It grows in gentle mounds and looks like moss if you do not choose to mow it. It is tolerant of dry slopes, does not like shade and in the second year of growth it needs water every 10 to 14 days. Applying an inch of water helps with its drought resilience. It is better to use kelp-based, alfalfa-based, poultry-based or Milo granite fertilizer on the Dog Tuff™ grass. According to Plant Select, conventional, chemical fertilizers may cause excessive hard to manage growth.

If you are still wanting to fertilize your Kentucky Blue grass in June, it is not necessary. Applying fertilizer at this time could burn your lawn besides causing stress on the grass. Fertilizer applied in June causes the grass to have more top growth and less root development. You will end up mowing and watering the turf more.

It is certainly safe to plant all your warm season crops without any danger of frost. Planting them when the temperatures are ideal gives them a good start. Planting in cooler temperatures delays root development and may stunt the plants. They begin the season doing poorly and may never come out of it. If you enjoy cantaloupe, get the seeds in the ground because they need anywhere from 70 to 90 days to maturity. Most watermelon need 80 days to mature.

Be sure to water your garden and turf, less frequently and more deeply.

Happy gardening!