Clothing
June is traditionally very hot in USDA Zones 8 and 9, as you know, so be sure when you’re out in the sun to wear protective clothing, sunscreen, a hat (I use a wide-brimmed straw hat, which allows air to flow through it, but keeps the sun off my head. I do wear shorts and short-sleeved shirts (usually one of the many t-shirts I’ve collected over the years) but use a lot of sunscreen.
Hydration
I take plenty of water to drink, usually mixed with some fruit juice and a little table salt. Sodium is the main electrolyte in salt. Sodium helps your body replenish the electrolytes lost through sweating and prevents dehydration. If you are sensitive to salt, then consume other electrolytes like potassium, magnesium, and calcium, either in your eating patterns or as supplements.
Pruning
Prune back spring-flowering shrubs like forsythia, viburnum, spirea, weigela and others.
- Pinch off spent blooms on annuals and perennials.
- Do a hard prune on annuals, cutting them back by a third to support bushier and stronger plants.
- Cut fall-blooming shrubs in half to prevent leggedness. Mums, asters and monarda do well with pruning now.
Planting Herbs and Vegetables
You can still plant a variety of vegetables and herbs, including:
- Peppers
- Squash
- Eggplant
- Okra
- Southern peas (black-eye, zipper cream, crowder, purple hull)
- Summer spinach
- Sweet potatoes
- Pumpkins
- Melons
- Dill
- Peas
