Monthly June produce selection with Monty
In Monty Don's June garden, the focus shifts to planting and caring for sweetcorn, squash, and soft fruit such as blackcurrant and gooseberry. Here's what Monty might be doing in his vegetable patch:
Sweetcorn
After the risk of frost has passed, Monty plants out his sweetcorn. He spaces the plants well to allow airflow, waters them regularly, and keeps the area weed-free. To promote growth, he might lightly feed the plants with a balanced fertilizer and be vigilant about pests such as slugs or mice that can attack young shoots. If the plants are small, he might protect them with a cloche or fleece earlier in the month and then remove it as the weather warms.
Squash
Monty plants young squash plants or sows seeds in well-prepared, rich soil with plenty of compost. June is a key time for planting squash outdoors once the soil is warm. He spaces plants generously, keeps the soil moist but not waterlogged, and mulches to retain moisture and suppress weeds. Training squash plants onto supports (if growing vining types) is also part of his care jobs at this time. Feeding with a high-potassium fertilizer can encourage flowering and fruit development.
Soft Fruit (Blackcurrants, Gooseberries)
In June, Monty’s work with blackcurrant and gooseberry bushes focuses on watering, mulching, and ongoing care rather than planting, since these are often established perennial shrubs. He removes any suckers or unwanted new shoots to maintain shape and airflow. Light pruning of any diseased or damaged wood might be done, but the main summer pruning usually happens in late summer or autumn. Protecting the fruits from birds using netting would be important as the fruits start to form or ripen.
In addition to these tasks, Monty ensures all plants are well-watered during dry spells, regularly weeds to reduce competition for nutrients and moisture, checks for pests such as aphids, caterpillars, or fungal diseases, and applies mulch to conserve soil moisture and keep roots cool.
While specific June jobs for these crops from Monty Don weren't found in the search results, these practices align well with conventional, expert garden advice for June vegetable garden care in the UK climate. For precise month-by-month chores from Monty Don’s official gardening guides, you might consult his published books or BBC Gardeners’ World monthly guides.
[1] Expert advice from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) [3] Gardening advice from the National Trust
In Monty Don's home-and-garden, he maintains his lifestyle by attending to his vegetable patch, specifically focusing on squash and soft fruit like blackcurrants and gooseberries. During June, he plants out squash and ensures they're spaced generously, keeps the soil moist, and mulches to retain moisture and suppress weeds. In his soft fruit section, he performs tasks such as watering, mulching, and removing suckers or unwanted new shoots to maintain shape and airflow. Gardening for Monty Don in June includes caring for his plants, ensuring they're well-watered, regularly weeding, and applying mulch.
