Every June Has a Silver Lining

Don't let the infamous June Gloom get you down! Before long, the sun will burn through for a long-baking sizzling summer. To make the best of this time, go ahead and use the great grey cover to tend to your garden in the cool breeze, so you can enjoy the results all summer long.

Cool weather allows for overdue sprinkler maintenance, pruning (without the sun beating down on you!) mulching, and water conservation efforts. The first thing to do is assess your watering situation. Broken sprinklers or leaking valves should be addressed. If you need a maintenance call, there may be a wait for service or parts, and June Gloom will prevent blazing temperatures and arid ground, so your garden will forgive you for not watering thoroughly. Water conservation is essential, so be sure to adjust your system for dawn or evening watering to effectively soak without combating evaporation. Check for leaks too, in the interest of saving water.

A tried and true way to conserve water is garden mulch. Although packaged mulch is available at the local nursery, partially composted garden waste is the best and is often free in some communities. Yes, you read that right: FREE! Los Angeles County alone has six pickup locations from San Pedro to the West Valley. Perhaps your county has a compost program too! For more information and maps for where to pick up free mulch in LA County, visit: www.lacity.org/san/solid_resources/pdfs/mulching_poster.pdf or if you're really feeling ambitious, you can start your own compost heap in an inconspicuous corner. HINT: your morning coffee grounds are a stellar addition to rinds, skins, and vegetable waste for that perfect mix!

Fruit trees will naturally do the big shed at this time to make room for incoming fruit without stressing the branches. Take the opportunity to follow their lead and thin out the limbs to give fruit room to mature perfectly with elbow room.

So you see there is no need to feel gloomy when the sun just won't wake up in June. You have so very much to do to get that garden hopping in time for that Fourth of July barbecue or Labor Day pool party. Then you can relax in your hammock for the rest of the lazy days of summer.