Timely Tips

What to Do in June 2026
Weekly Gardening Timely Tips from
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Westchester County

June 28 – July 4

Perennials: Are some plants stretching toward the light? Nearby trees may have grown and are now casting too much shade. Are others looking bleached or burnt? Changes in the landscape such as the loss of a mature tree can create an opening with too much sun. Use lath or shade cloth to provide temporary protection from the sun. Scout out better conditions for plants whose light conditions have changed. Move late blooming plants early next spring.

Flowers: Shady areas often benefit from a pop of color right about now. Consider planting light-colored tuberous begonias, and plants with variegated leaves. Many caladiums have colorful leaves that could be mistaken for flowers.

Fruits and Vegetables: Continue to plant successions of string beans, callaloo, chard, and other fast-maturing, heat-resistant crops. Start seeds for a fall crop of broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower indoors, or outside in a protected spot in the next few weeks. In late July through August, with access to regular irrigation or watering, transplant those seedlings into the garden. If needed, provide some shade until the seedlings establish and cooler weather returns. Continue picking strawberries when fully ripe.

Trees and Shrubs:Propagating native shrubs like hydrangea, St. John’s wort, summersweet (Clethra), Virginia sweetspire (Itea), and others, can be done at this time as a challenge. Take softwood cuttings as spring growth begins to mature. Many plants root readily from softwood cuttings in a mixture of moist peat and sand. Rooting hormone applied according to label directions can speed the process. For more information, contact your local Cooperative Extension.

Lawns: How often to mow?No more than a third of the grass blade should be removed at a time, so grass should be cut when the remaining two-thirds of the grass will be greater than 3.5-4 inches tall. When grass is growing slowly in summer, mowing may not be needed more than every 2 weeks or even less. Cutting grass too short can expose the crown, dry the roots, and generally stress the lawn.

Houseplants: If any plants need repotting to larger containers, this can be done outdoors to minimize mess. To keep the root zone relatively consistent for the growing plant, choose a pot in the range of two inches in radius bigger than the old pot.

Last updated June 27, 2026