An opulent garden, covered with flowers and giving abundant harvests is a dream accessible by all gardeners. Here are Seezon®’s top tips to a beautiful garden all summer long:

Jobs for the vegetable garden:

The month of June is a pivotal period in the garden with last plantings, seeding, transplanting, thinning, ridging, maintenance, and mulching; there is a lot of work for any gardener!

Carry out the last plantings

It is advisable to do the last plantings at the beginning of June. Any later than this, and it would take too long to grow quality produce. It is also better to take advantage of this period when growth is at its peak before the summer heat.

It is therefore the right time to transplant plants bought in pots or planted in the previous months into the ground, such as tomatoes, courgettes, melons, aubergines, and peppers. 

Thinning out seedlings

Plants seeded in May in the open ground such as lettuce, leeks, carrots, or beans should be thinned out. Remove the weakest seedlings to respect an adequate spacing to offer an optimal development to those which remain in place.

Ridging some vegetables

Mounding concerns potatoes, beans, and peas.

Make a mound of earth at the feet of the plants concerned to bury the base of their stems. Peas and beans will root better while potatoes will form more tubercles which, shaded by this mound of soil, will not turn green.

Pruning to activate fruit production

Some vegetables need pruning to produce fruit more quickly.

  • Tomatoes: remove the suckers (stems that grow in the leaf axils) by pinching them between the thumb and forefinger on conventional tomato plants. This technique divides the gardening world because it would provide an entry point for many diseases, so some gardeners refrain from pruning.
  • Pinch courgettes and cucumbers when the plants have 4 true leaves.
  • Strawberries: multiply naturally by producing new seedlings at the end of a creeping stem. These seedlings called ‘stolons’ must be detached from the mother plant by simply cutting the stem that connects them to avoid the exhaustion of the plant and multiply it.

Mulch to protect the soil

Spread a thick layer of organic mulch (at least 5 cm) at the foot of the plants. It limits competition from weeds, keeps the soil fresh and saves water.

Watering the vegetable garden well in summer

  • Vegetable plants need regular watering to stay healthy and grow well. Water preferably after sunset, so that the soil is moistened to a depth of more than 2 cm.
  • Water directly at the foot of the plants. For a large vegetable garden, install an automatic watering system connected to a timer.
  • Avoid watering the foliage to limit the spread of diseases.

Jobs for flowers, trees & shrubs:

The secrets to a garden that blooms all summer long

  • Consider the climate, the nature of the soil, but also the exposure to natural elements – this will help them to grow without worry and will require much less maintenance
  • Plant long-blooming plants such as gaurs, dahlia, lantana, or petunia, to enjoy the show all summer long
  • Mix perennials and annuals, so you can change your decor according to the season
  • Avoid planting plants susceptible to the same diseases side by side, for example hollyhocks and roses, as they are both sensitive to rust.

Make the right associations

There are certain plants that protect each other, for example, ornamental garlic protects roses from cryptogamic diseases, but making good associations also consists in avoiding mistakes in taste!

  • Place the tallest plants in the background of the decor, respecting a colour code
  • Stick to 2 or 3 close colours in the chromatic range so as not to shock the eye. Otherwise, play with contrasts but always with two or three shades maximum
  • Think about the textures of the foliage. Play with silver and white to tie it all together

How to make a floral pot?

In the garden, on the terrace or on the balcony, a flowerpot enhances the decor.

  • Choose a container with holes in the bottom and of adequate size for the future development of the plants so that they should not be cramped
  • The plants should have the same needs in terms of exposure, nature of the substrate and watering
  • Think about the harmony of colours, heights, and textures

How to prepare you garden to survive in the summer:

In summer, the garden is exposed to the sun, heat, and a lot drier conditions. There is also potentially a degree of time where it may not be tended too, due to a holiday for example, therefore vigilance is required to keep it looking good throughout the season.

Prepare your garden to face drought

  • Mow the lawn higher (10 cm) to keep it cool
  • Install automatic watering on a timer that is activated in the evening after sunset for the ornamental plants as well as for the vegetable garden or the lawn. Note that there are kits for the balcony
  • Install a thick mulch to limit the growth of weeds and keep the soil fresh

Maintenance before leaving on vacation

If you are away for a period, and your garden is unattended, you must be scrupulously prepared to limit the effects of drought.

  • Clean the soil to avoid competition from weeds
  • Hoe the surface and mulch
  • Prune all dead or diseased parts (remember to disinfect the blades of the secateurs between each plant)
  • Do not leave diseased leaves on the ground to avoid the spread of diseases. Dispose of everything at the waste disposal centre
  • Cut back perennials and annuals
  • Check automatic watering systems
  • Place upturned water bottles if vacations are short
  • Place all potted plants in the shade
  • In the vegetable garden and orchard, pick up all fruits and vegetables ready for harvest

During the summer months, the garden can quickly suffer from drought and be affected by diseases or pests if you do not put in place simple preventive measures from June. Favouring biodiversity to regain balance, watering correctly, preventing diseases are all actions that will allow your garden to remain beautiful and healthy all summer long.