What better time to get out into the garden and get some much-needed jobs done than June? And whilst there is heaps of stuff you can crack on with, you may want to hold off on chopping back your hedges.
If you're sorting your garden out this month, you've probably noticed that everything is growing and blooming at a quicker rate than it has this year. Your hedges might be looking rather dishevelled and outgrown too, and although they do benefit from being maintained, it shouldn't be on your essential June gardening jobs.
The urge to cut them back may be strong, especially if you want your garden to look expensive. However, Monty Don has shared the important reason you shouldn't be getting the big loppers out just yet.
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Hedges are a fantastic, cheap way to block your neighbours' view and give your garden a little privacy without it becoming an eyesore. They do, however, require lots of upkeep to ensure they look good and grow in the right shape.
In summertime especially, they'll grow quickly and messily, so you'll be more than tempted to start cutting them back. But you should be cautious with your shears.
"It's too early to do any radical hedge cutting, because there are still nesting birds that will be disturbed. But you can give it a light trim, particularly to evergreen hedges like yew or box," explains Monty.
It's key that you've got the right essential gardening tool at the ready; this will also depend on the height and sheer size of your hedges, too. Monty recommends that for the cleanest trim, you make sure your shears are nice and sharp.
"Simply remove the wispy elements on the top and the sides, and that will sharpen them up and tie the whole garden together," Monty continues.
"And then in August and September, you can do your proper hedge cutting," he finishes.
Although box, yew and privet are good candidates for this light trim during June, they will definitely need a proper cut back before the end of summer. So be sure to add that to your September gardening jobs list.
If you want to make your garden even more accomodating to birds, then you can leave wildlife-friendly weeds to grow. These act as free, natural food sources for birds and other creatures, and they're always season-appropriate.
