No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeCosta RicaCosta Rica June Gardening: Grow Fruit Trees and Veggies with Compost

Costa Rica June Gardening: Grow Fruit Trees and Veggies with Compost

Sunny, clear morning skies, rainy afternoons and ripening fruit on the trees are all part of June days in Costa Rica. June is also a time for tending the garden, planting, and mowing the lawn, and it’s a great time to transform nature’s prolific green biomass into rich compost fertilizer.

Grass clippings, weeds from garden cleanup, leaves and kitchen waste can all be recycled to make compost. Layer this valuable waste to build a pile about a meter high. Once the rains have thoroughly moistened the pile, cover it with a layer of soil and a sheet of black plastic to keep the insects out. Turn the pile every two weeks, and in two months you will have odorless compost that looks like topsoil.

Don’t add fresh materials to an old compost pile. Instead, start building a new pile. Several piles in different stages provide a steady supply of compost, which can be used to rejuvenate garden soil fertility.

Beans, corn, radish, cucumber, peanuts, chayote and squash can be planted directly in the garden soil during June. To keep a steady supply of salad greens for the kitchen, plant flats with seeds of the following: lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, celery, sweet peppers and parsley. Highland gardeners can also add broccoli, cauliflower and beets. After about one month, when the seedlings are 5 to 7 centimeters tall, transplant them to small pots or recycled plastic cups with three holes punched in the bottoms.

Strained compost is the best soil for this stage. After two to three weeks, when the seedlings are growing vigorously, transplant them to the garden beds. When you dig a hole to transplant, add half a shovelful of compost for each plant to ensure good growth. Compost fertilizer is also available in many leading nurseries.

June is also a good month to plant fruit trees, shrubs and ornamentals. Check with your local nurseries for grafted fruit trees. “Hayden” and “Julie” mangos are two excellent varieties for the home garden. “Washington Navel” oranges, lemons and sweet mandarins are the best for backyard orchards. Highland gardeners can plant “Ana” apples and “Haas” avocados, while “Simpson” and “Booth” avocados are suited for lower elevations.

Trending Now

Looking Back at Life in Costa Rica Before Independence

Costa Rica marks 204 years of independence today, September 15, with parades and lanterns lighting up the night. For expats and visitors settling into...

Waldorf Astoria Debuts in Costa Rica with Grand Opening in Punta Cacique

The Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica officially opened its doors in Punta Cacique, combining the brand's iconic luxury with the Guanacaste identity and marking a...

Robert Redford, Hollywood icon and Sundance founder, dies at 89

Cinema legend Robert Redford, a screen great both in front of and behind the camera whose career spanned six decades, died early on Tuesday...

Costa Rica’s Independence Day Visitors Guide

For those few who are visiting our country and for whatever reason, may not know yet, Costa Rica celebrates its 204th Independence Day tomorrow...

Costa Rica’s Central Bank Defends Exchange Rate Strategy

The exchange rate has been an important topic during the administration of President Rodrigo Chaves. The strong appreciation of the Costa Rican currency has...

Costa Rican President Rejects Immunity Vote, Says It’s a Judicial Coup

Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves announced that he will skip the congressional plenary session next Monday set to decide on stripping his immunity in...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica