June is here and summer is just around the corner. Take advantage of our May rain and welcome the season with heat-tolerant plants that will provide your Texas garden with vibrant color throughout the summer months.
Ready to grow? We are here to help with your summer gardening success! Discover the benefits of rainwater for plants and check out these 5 stunning blooms to plant in June!
THE BENEFITS OF RAINY WEATHER & GARDENING
Rainy weather isn’t always common this time of year, so it can create questions and uncertainty about what we should do in our Texas gardens. Embrace the recent moisture and discover all the wonderful benefits it brings.
- You can enjoy a longer growing season with cooler temperatures, reducing stress on new plants.
- Rain can eliminate drought conditions and prevent water shortages. It provides essential moisture to the soil, helping plants establish strong root systems, and access to a natural water supply can lower our utility bills and save water.
- Rainwater on plants can significantly enhance garden vitality, sustainability, and productivity by boosting microbial activity in the soil.
- Rain can create healthier plants with increased yields, producing more flowers and fruits throughout the growing season.
- Consistent rainfall supports our local ecosystems and plant diversity, allowing a wider variety of plants to thrive to create a stronger and more resilient garden.
Since Mother Nature likes to keep us on our toes, here are some ways you can utilize this natural resource, and set yourself up for success with a vibrant summer garden.
- Improve drainage with Nature’s Creation® Expanded Shale. This natural soil amendment loosens compacted soil, improves both aeration and drainage, and retains necessary moisture for healthier and more extensive root systems.
- Control the growing conditions and keep track of moisture levels with container gardens. They are easy to move and maintain, and the perfect way to display your June blooms.
- Prevent soil erosion and runoff and mitigate the force from downspouts by lining flowerbeds and planting areas with Pidecmar Decorative Marble Stone.
- Use a rapitest® Digital Moisture Meter to properly monitor the soil moisture at the root level of your plants.
5 SUMMER FLOWERS TO GROW IN JUNE
May showers bring June flowers! Now is the ideal time to plant your favorite sun-loving blooms so they have time to establish before the potential extremes of summer. Here are 5 fantastic summer flowers to plant now in your Texas garden.
1: Cora® XDR Vinca
Cora® XDR Vinca are popular flowers to grow in summer. The large blooms shine through fall in bright shades of red, pink, white, and purple, and they are prized for their eXtreme Disease Resistance. This variety has gone through vigorous testing for improved performance and durability, and they can easily adapt to our Texas gardens.
Cora® Vinca, commonly known as Periwinkle, is a heat-tolerant flower that thrives in full sunlight. They are easy to care for and require minimal maintenance, making them a great choice for both beginner and experienced gardeners. This summer flowering beauty has an attractive upright mounding habit, ideal for filling your container gardens and flowerbeds.
Superior soil drainage is essential for healthy and thriving Cora® XDR Vinca. Water weekly as needed when the top inch of the soil feels dry, and by the peak of summer, these stunning summer flowers will be more tolerant of drought and extreme heat. Avoid watering if these blooms are getting regular rainwater and if your garden soil is still too saturated, pair them with stylish pottery for a stunning summer container garden.
2: Marigolds
Marigolds are one of the most common summer flowering plants. They have a variety of cheerful blooms with unique and fragrant foliage. Taishan® Marigolds have big, tightly petalled blooms that look like pom-poms while the Durango® variety has uniformly shaped, daisy-like flowers with large petals. They are also a favorite of our friendly pollinators, making them fantastic companion plants for your vegetable gardens.
Marigolds are heat-tolerant and thrive in full sun. They easily adapt to a range of soil conditions and once established, they are low maintenance with non-stop blooms that last through summer.
With the recent rainfall, this is a wonderful time for Marigolds to establish a strong root system. With new plantings, give them regular water, especially on hot and sunny days. After a few weeks of proper care, your plants will become more tolerant of what our Texas summer has to offer, and they will better withstand any periods of drought or extreme heat.
3: Pentas
Pentas are gorgeous summer flowers that will sparkle in your Texas landscape and container gardens. A favorite to butterflies and hummingbirds, Pentas are known for their clusters of star-shaped blooms in a profusion of jewel-toned hues.
Pentas are heat-tolerant flowers and prefer to be grown in full sun. They are low maintenance, producing blooms all summer, even during the hottest conditions, and they adapt well to most soil conditions.
Plant your Pentas in a moist, well-draining soil. They need regular watering to maintain their abundance of blooms and to prevent your summer flowering plants from drying out. They will surely benefit from any supplemental rainwater we have right now, rewarding you with happy and healthy blooms through the summer.
4: Zinnia
Beat the summer heat with Zinnias! These fast-growing, warm-season annuals are a gift for Texas gardeners. They are easy to grow and thrive in our climate. Zinnias have colorful daisy-like blooms with dense green foliage, creating a burst of color in your flowerbeds and container gardens, and they are a popular choice for attracting beneficial pollinators to your outdoor spaces.
Zinnias come in a variety of heights and bloom shapes for all areas of your landscape. Profusion Zinnias have daisy-like blooms with large centers and Magellan Zinnias have large, double flowers in bursts of bright colors.
Plant Zinnias in full sun with well-draining soil for the best blooms. Avoid planting in overly damp soil conditions to keep your plants healthy. For your gardening success, plant these summer flowers in pots for a stylish outdoor display.
5: Lantana
Lantanas are tough summer flowering plants. They are prized for their pretty flowers, gorgeous colors, and long blooming season. Pollinators love their cheerful clusters of non-stop blooms throughout the summer, and you’ll love the colorful texture in your landscape.
Lantana thrives in hot climates, is extremely heat-tolerant, and prefers to be planted in a sunny location. They are easy to care for and can adapt well to most soil conditions.
With new plantings, keep the soil moist for several weeks until it establishes its root system. Give your summer flowers a deep watering once a week, unless they are getting enough rainwater. Once they develop root systems, your plants will become more tolerant of dry conditions for successful summer gardening.
CARE TIPS
After a rainy May, choosing the best soil for your summer flowers is important. They need a high-quality, nutrient-rich, and well-draining soil to establish good root systems.
- Provide the optimal growing environment for container plants and use Calloway’s Premium Container Potting Soil.
- Improve drainage and replace lost nutrients by working Calloway’s Organic Compost or Calloway’s Premium Flowerbed Garden Soil into the native soil at the time of planting.
Feed your summer flowers with the best plant fertilizer and use with Calloway’s Premium Flower Food. It promotes healthy growth, vibrant blooms, and prolonged blooming periods, helping your plants reach their full potential and produce stunning displays of color.
SHOP WITH EASE
At Calloway’s and Cornelius, we are here to help with all your summer gardening needs! Visit us today and explore our stunning collection of vibrant blooms, pretty perennials, impressive trees and shrubs, stylish pottery, lush indoor plants, and so much more! Shop any of our 28 neighborhood stores, where we have served our loyal customers for over 35 years.
Have questions? No worries! Ask our Texas Certified Nursery Professionals; they are here to help!
