June Gardening Tips for the Mountain West and High Plains
Plant heat-craving vegetables such as beans, corn, eggplant, melons, peppers, and tomatoes. You can direct-sow seeds or use transplants.
Heat-loving herbs can go in the ground now: rosemary, basil, and lavender.
Grow vegetables in raised beds.
Plant tropical water lilies and aquatic plants when water temperature is above 70 degrees F.
Add some perennials from the Plant Select program to your garden. These tried-and-true Rocky Mountain and high plains performers hail from a program by Denver Botanic Gardens and Colorado State University.
Colorado desert blue star (Amsonia jonesii) -- a western native with sapphire-blue blooms from April to early summer; fall foliage is yellow
Avalanche white sun daisy (Osteospermum 'Avalanche') -- white daisies all summer long above evergreen foliage; strong disease resistance
Grand Mesa Beardtongue (Penstemon mensarum) -- brilliant cobalt blue flower spikes in early spring last two months; evergreen leaves turn orange-red in winter
Test Garden Tip: When planting in June, water plants twice daily until they stop wilting. Even drought-tolerant plants need extra watering when first planted. Their drought-tolerant nature starts to show after root systems are established.
Continued on page 4: Garden Chores
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