The Garden Diaries: New Zealand in June

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It’s winter now so get your thermals on and get out into the garden. Here’s a checklist for what you could be doing in your garden in New Zealand in June. So let’s get cracking.

Hero plant this month: Daphne

It’s a great time to be planting daphne. With its beautiful fragrant flowers, it’s a great asset to your garden.

Plant in a spot that has moist, well drained soil. It likes part shade and somewhere that’s sheltered from strong winds. Daphnes will cope with a light frost and grow to about a metre high.

What else to plant

Another great option to plant right now are hellebores, or winter rose. They are tough, easy to grow and come in a range of stunning flower colours.

These plants tolerate dry shade, so will thrive beneath a deciduous tree where they get light in winter and shade in summer. Try them in a pot too. Remember to keep them well watered and use a quality potting mix.

June is a great month to plant citrus. Select a sunny spot in the garden, or plant them in a pot.

Bare rooted apple, peaches and nectarines are also in-store. Plant them in a spot that gets full sun and in fertile well drained soil for good results.

What kitchen is complete without garlic? Get cloves in this month, preferably before the shortest day so they will be ready to harvest in December. You’ll know they are ready when the leaves die down.

Maintenance

June is an ideal time to prune fruit trees. Wait until they have finished fruiting and have dropped their leaves. Prune back to a healthy bud to encourage lush, new growth as well as good fruiting next season.

If you are growing wildflowers, collect seed this month for planting in spring.

Don’t neglect the vegie patch either. Give the plot a boost with a complete vegetable fertiliser.

Finally, if you’re in an area prone to frosts, protect sensitive plants with a frost cloth to give them a fighting chance on the really cold mornings.

Harvest

There’s nothing like eating your own produce and there’s plenty to harvest in June. Pick kale, broccoli, cabbage, parsnips, silverbeet, cauliflower, spinach, and beetroot.

There you go, lots to do in the garden now. Put in the time this winter and you’ll be rewarded come spring.

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Remember the Perfect Plant Promise. All our plants (except seedlings) are guaranteed for 12 months. If you're not 100 per cent happy, return your plant (with receipt or tax invoice) and we'll refund it.

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