5 Things to Do in Your Landscape This June
June is one of the busiest months for your landscape. Spring growth is winding down, summer heat is beginning to settle in, and plants, lawns, and sprinkler systems are all transitioning into a new season.
A few simple maintenance tasks now can help prevent larger issues and keep your property looking its best throughout the summer.
1. Give Perennials and Flowering Shrubs Some Attention
June is National Perennial Month, making it a great time to focus on the plants that provide long-lasting color and structure throughout your landscape.
As spring blooms begin to fade, deadhead spent flowers on peonies and other spring-flowering perennials to encourage healthy growth and keep garden beds looking tidy.
This is also the ideal time to:
- Cut asters back by about half to promote bushier growth later in the season
- Remove completely yellowed daffodil foliage
- Monitor plants for powdery mildew, especially roses, phlox, bee balm, zinnias, and lilacs
- Complete any pruning of spring-flowering shrubs such as lilacs, forsythia, viburnums, and azaleas
Waiting too long to prune spring-flowering plants can remove next year’s flower buds and reduce blooms.
2. Make Sure Your Sprinkler System Is Ready for Summer
As temperatures rise, water becomes one of the most important factors affecting landscape health.
Many irrigation issues go unnoticed until brown spots appear in the lawn or plants begin showing signs of stress. A quick inspection now can help identify:
- Broken sprinkler heads
- Clogged nozzles
- Poor coverage areas
- Overspray onto pavement
- Leaks or pressure issues
Even minor irrigation problems can lead to wasted water and uneven plant growth during the hottest part of the season.
June is an excellent time to verify that your system is delivering the right amount of water where it’s needed most.
3. Stay Ahead of Weeds Before They Take Over
Recent rainfall throughout the St. Louis area has created ideal growing conditions not just for lawns, but also for weeds.
One weed to keep an eye on this month is nutsedge (pictured below). Unlike many common lawn weeds, nutsedge does not respond to traditional pre-emergent treatments and often grows much faster than surrounding turf.
A few important things to know:
- Pulling nutsedge often makes the problem worse
- It requires a specialized treatment (applied 3 times)
- Early intervention is much more effective than waiting
4. Don’t Forget About Trees and Shrubs
Trees and shrubs are often the largest investment in a landscape, but they can also be some of the most overlooked.
This time of year is important for supporting healthy growth while monitoring for insects and disease pressure that often increases as summer progresses.
June is a common time for slow-release fertilization, which provides nutrients gradually and supports:
- Healthy photosynthesis
- Strong root development
- Consistent growth
- Improved stress tolerance
It’s also a good time to begin watching for common summer pests such as Japanese beetles, bagworms, and spider mites before populations become established.
Early detection is almost always easier than treating severe damage later in the season.
5. Consider a Small Upgrade to Refresh Your Outdoor Space
Not every landscape improvement needs to be a major renovation.
In fact, some of the most impactful upgrades are relatively small projects that improve curb appeal, functionality, and enjoyment of your outdoor space.
June is an ideal time for projects such as:
- Adding a stone walkway
- Expanding a garden bed
- Installing stone or metal edging
- Refreshing planting areas
- Improving transitions between lawn and landscape beds
These types of projects can often transform the appearance of a property without requiring extensive construction or disruption.
A Little Attention Now Can Make a Big Difference Later
June is one of the most important months in the landscape calendar. Taking time now to care for garden beds, monitor irrigation, manage weeds, protect trees and shrubs, and make small improvements can help your property thrive throughout the summer.
If you’d like guidance on any of these tasks, or would prefer a professional team to handle them for you, the Quiet Village Landscaping team is always happy to help. Whether it’s water management, lawn care, tree and shrub health, or a small landscape enhancement project, we’re here to help you get the most out of your outdoor space.
