Breaking ground

Hybridizers have created coneflowers with double blooms. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette/Janet B. Carson)
Hybridizers have created coneflowers with double blooms. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette/Janet B. Carson)

JUNE

2020 is a weird year in more ways than one. Some people may be building an ark, given the weather we have had at the end of May. We have had way more rain than normal, with record-setting numbers throughout the state.

As of May 26, record water levels were set on the Arkansas River from Van Buren/Fort Smith through the Toad Suck reservoir. Interestingly enough, the record broken in Morrilton had stood since the Great Flood of 1927.

Who knows what the weather will bring us in June, but as gardeners, we have to take what we get and supplement if necessary.

• Gardeners are planting more edible gardens than ever before, and the good weather in early May helped get them off to a great start.

• Harvest season is underway with the cool-season vegetables, and if they were planted early enough, gardeners are seeing peppers, squash and cucumbers, with some early tomatoes as well. As you harvest the cool-season crops, replant with new vegetables so you use all the space available. There is still time to plant sweet potatoes, southern peas, watermelons, winter squash and okra. You can keep planting tomatoes, peppers and eggplant as long as you can find the plants.

• Strawberry season was excellent this year, and for many growers, ended before the deluge. If you grow strawberries, once you finish your harvest, thin out your plantings to make sure they don't get too crowded.

Echinacea paradoxa is a yellow coneflower native to Arkansas. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette/Janet B. Carson)
Echinacea paradoxa is a yellow coneflower native to Arkansas. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette/Janet B. Carson)

• We are beginning to harvest blueberries and some early blackberries. If you have a small patch, you might consider covering them with bird netting for a few weeks to keep the birds away — they like the fruit as much as we do.

• Monitor your gardens for insects and diseases. Heavy rains tend to keep down spider mites and aphids, but caterpillars have been on the prowl on cool-season cabbage and greens, and they will start on corn once the silks start to form.

• Extra moisture can also mean happier slugs, so watch your hosta plants. Slug baits are available, but you can also use beer traps or mulch with sweetgum balls. Heavy rains can lead to a lot of moisture trapped under squash vines, which leads to fruit rots. If you spot any fuzzy fruits, get rid of them quickly. You also can remove a few leaves to increase air circulation. The sooner you spot a problem and properly identify it, the sooner you can control it.

• There is still time to prune spring-blooming shrubs, but do so soon. We have had a lot of reports of damaged hydrangeas. Many have reported significant damage to the big leaf hydrangeas with much of the new growth coming from the base of the plants. Other gardeners have little to no damage. If your hydrangeas weren't damaged, flowers are setting now. These pink, purple or blue flowering plants should only be pruned after they flower. If you still have dead branches in your plants, by all means, remove them now.

• Most gardenias are blooming — if they were not winter-damaged. Prune these only if they need it and, again, do so after they bloom.

• Summer annuals and flowering tropicals have taken off. To keep them blooming their best, fertilize every couple of weeks. Extra water does leach nutrition out of a garden, especially in containers and raised beds. Light applications of fertilizer are much better than a heavy dose that can burn the plants.

• If you still need color, nurseries get new shipments regularly, and you should have plenty of options.

• Many homeowners have complained about more mosquitoes and ticks this year. Mosquitoes are a given with all the rain. Make sure you walk the yard looking for anything that is holding water where they can breed. Ticks came out early and haven't gone away. Ticks tend to infest areas with tall grass or densely plant-populated areas. If you live with a "wild" area adjoining your property, try to maintain a perimeter, and check your family and pet frequently for ticks when you have been in these areas. If you do find a tick, record when you found it. Tick-borne diseases are becoming more and more common.

JUNE NATIVE PLANT

photo

Purple coneflowers are among the longest-blooming native plants in Arkansas gardens. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette/Janet B. Carson)

Echinacea, or coneflower, is one of the longest blooming perennials in our gardens. The popularity of our native purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) has led plant breeders to introduce a whole slew of color choices, from reds, oranges and yellows to pinks, whites and bi-colors — with single or double blooms.

If you deadhead (cut the spent flowers), the plants will bloom continuously from late May through October.

In addition to the Echinacea purpurea varieties, several other species occur naturally in our state, including the reflexed coneflower (E. atrorubens), the pale purple coneflower (E. pallida), the yellow coneflower (E. paradoxa), and the glade coneflower (E. simulata).

Colorful coneflowers thrive in dappled shade near hydrangeas. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette/Janet B. Carson)
Colorful coneflowers thrive in dappled shade near hydrangeas. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette/Janet B. Carson)

Echinacea plants for the most part like full sun to partial shade and are very attractive to butterflies and bees.

The native varieties are long-lived and drought tolerant. Some of the newer, introduced varieties may not last quite as long in the garden, but breeders are making improvements with them every year.

Janet Carson's blog is at arkansasonline.com/planitjanet.

HomeStyle on 05/30/2020

Upcoming Events