7 Garden DIY’s for June

Now that the sun is finally making an appearance, it’s time to get going on those remaining garden chores before the arrival summer. Besides, the sooner we get these last few tasks finished, the sooner we can enjoy time in the garden.

These 7 Garden DIY’s for June will help get your outdoors in shape before the 4th of July.  From getting your fountains running to tidying up your porch, a June investment of extra attention to your outside can set your garden apart from the rest.

 7 Garden DIY’s for June

1. Braid Dying Bulb Foliage

Who wants to look at dying, yellow bulb foliage amid the exciting perennials of early summer? Emma loves to help braid the daffodil foliage. We gently lay the braid down and stake it under the emerging plants.  The braids are beautiful and I don’t mind seeing a few of them peaking through the plants. A week after the 4th of July, we can gently tug the braids out of the garden after the nutrients have returned to the bulb.

2. Clean and Start Fountains

Fountains are some of the most returned items to garden centers. It is easy to underestimate the amount of work required by a fountain. However, I have found a few tricks that help me get them clean, keep them running, and minimize maintenance. First, I clean my fountains with a pressure washer (Be careful to test this on a small area first). Second, I attach my fountains to a drip-line connected to my sprinkler system. I never have to fill my fountains because they are getting replenished with fresh water twice each day. This helps keep issues like algae and scaling to a minimum. Finally, I use window screening in the basins to minimize splash. Splash and evaporation are huge sources of water loss for fountains.

3. Make Containers Worry-free

While the sprinkler guys are adding drip-line to your fountains, ask them to add extra lines to your containers. I never have to worry about any container or fountain on my property thanks to drip-line!

4. Spruce Up The Front Porch

The front porch can get lost in the priorities of garden care. Ironically, the porch is the very spot a weary gardener can finally rest and appreciate the beauty of the garden. The porch doubles as my outdoor living room for houseplants that cannot take direct sunlight, gardening magazines I’ve been collecting all year and extra vases to fill with cut flowers to give to visitors.  As you can tell, my porch serves many purposes!  I clean the concrete with a power washer every two years.  The wicker chairs were actually from two different sales and were two different colors before they both got hit with a fresh coat of white spray paint. New outdoor pillows add plushness.

5. Clean the Edges

All garden edging requires attention. Use a little dose of Grass Beater between each stone to prevent grass from creeping into the bed. Creeping grass is easier to control when it is kept short. In my yard, Will trims every weekend to keep the edges looking crisp. Given a choice between starting up the mower and using the trimmer, I’d pick the trimmer every time.  I love it when the edges of my beds are clean-cut and tidy.

6. Personalize the Garden

Create a sense of personality by incorporating things you love. Inspiring quotes are life-giving to me. Here, the fence doubles as a space for garden sayings. No special tools were required, just a pencil for lightly tracing the text followed by a sharpie for the final writing.

7. Polyurethane Ironwork

Ironwork is found in almost every garden. To keep my ironwork looking great, I spray it with polyurethane each Spring. Dull pieces can be brought back to life with some of the new textural sprays available at the hardware store. Even better, don’t limit yourself when buying iron pieces at a garage sale or junk store. Keep an open mind. That hideous purple iron gate might look fabulous painted glossy black.

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Jennifer Ebeling

Producer & Host at Still Growing... Gardening Podcast

Jennifer Ebeling is a proud Minnesotan and U of MN alumni. Gooooooo Gophers! Each week, Jennifer produces and hosts Still Growing - a gardening podcast dedicated to helping you and your garden grow. The show is an in-depth interview format. Guests featured on the show share a passion for gardening and include authors, bloggers, professional gardeners, etc. Listeners and guests of the show can join the Still Growing community on Facebook. It's a place to ask questions, share garden stories, interact with great guests featured on the show, and continue to grow and learn. Jennifer and her husband Philip have four children, a big golden lab named Sonny, and live in lovely Maple Grove, Minnesota. P.S. When she's not teaching her four kids a new card game - or teaching them how to drive a car - Jennifer loves inspiring individuals and groups to maximize and personalize their home & garden.

Latest posts by Jennifer Ebeling (see all)

• Twenty Reasons NOT to Garden and WHY I IGNORE THEM ALL with Garden Humorist Luke Ruggenberg - May 18, 2018
• Stoneleigh: America’s Newest Public Garden, PLUS an in-depth chat with Ethan Kauffman about his vision and the plants he loves most in the garden - May 11, 2018
• Practical Organic Gardening Explained, Plus How to Solve Garden Challenges Naturally with Mark Highland - April 20, 2018

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