A June guide to managing hedges, aphids, roses and lawns in the Pacific Northwest
The middle of June is a good time to clip hedges and dense shrubs that you wish to make more compact.
Evergreens such as boxwood and euonymus fortunei can be kept as low hedges with a haircut in June by shearing off an inch or two of the newest growth. For large hedges, prune so that the base of the shrub is wider than the top of the shrub. This way the bottom of the plant will not be shaded by the top.
Continue to fertilize and deadhead hanging baskets and container gardens as they put on new growth.
Q. Aphid. On roses. Write about it. — B.B., Email
A. Jets of water. Pinch them. Ladybugs.
Q. How often is one supposed to mow the lawn in the summer? We do not aspire to have a perfect lawn but my husband thinks mowing once a week is good enough. I feel like the grass gets too tall and it should be mowed twice a week. The lawn is not that big and he needs the exercise. — P.L., Tacoma
A. The correct answer is to mow so that you remove the top third of the grass blade. This means more often if rain and fertilizer speeds up growth and less often during dry weather.
Allowing the grass to grow taller to 3 inches and then removing only the top 1 inch will help NW lawn grasses to shade out low-growing weeds such as clover and veronica. A taller lawn also requires less water to stay green.
Twice a week seems a bit much. Watering potted plants can also be good exercise especially if you use a watering can and place the pots far from the house. Better yet, find someone in the neighborhood who needs help keeping their lawn mowed and see if hubby wants to take on the job.
Q. Is there a correct spot to cut a rose to bring indoors? I have a childhood memory of my grandfather teaching me this and now I finally have my own rose bushes. He has passed but I want to honor him by doing something he tried to teach me. — B.B., Enumclaw
A. The wisdom of experience is the best when passed down to the next generation. Your grandfather was most likely teaching you to cut a rose stem just above a group of five leaflets. This is the pruning spot most likely to encourage a new sprout.
Cutting roses when the blossoms are faded, or to harvest buds to enjoy indoors, is a form of summer pruning that encourages more flowers, so just get snippy with your roses.
Marianne Binetti has a degree in horticulture from Washington State University and is the author of several books. Reach her at binettigarden.com.