Your Tiny Forest is starting to look lush from the ground up! The mulch layer in your Tiny Forest should help to supress weeds, but those resilient plants can still find their way through. Keep an eye out for competitive weeds and remove them once a fortnight during the summer months to stop them from competing too much for the water and nutrients needed by your Tiny Forest trees. June should also be a month to celebrate the abundance of nature, so don’t forget to sign up for the 30 Days Wild challenge, and organise a summer solstice party in your Tiny Forest.

After No Mow May, you might be surprised that we are asking you to weed your Tiny Forest. Unfortunately, some weeds compete with young trees, threatening their survival. Once your Tiny Forest and its self-sustaining ecosystem is established (after about three years), weeding won’t be necessary. To find out how to weed and see which ‘weeds’ need to go and which ones might be beneficial in your Tiny Forest, download our helpful guide. Weeding can be a very fun but tiring activity, so make sure to get a group of helpers and take regular breaks. The Wildlife Trust’s annual 30 Days Wild challenge offers plenty of extra ideas. 

June is the month of the summer solstice. On 20th or 21st of June, the Northern half of our planet is the most tilted towards the sun, creating ‘the longest’ day and ‘the shortest night’ of the year. Since prehistory, many cultures have celebrated the summer solstice with rituals and festivities, like singing and dancing in nature to traditional songs. Why not organise your own party to celebrate the arrival of summer? You could come up with your own ideas or seek inspiration from Sweden, where ‘Midsommer’ is still widely celebrated by making wreaths of flowers, walking barefoot, playing games, dancing, and of course, eating early summer treats! 

If you Tiny Forest is younger than 3 years old, it is time to start thinking about weeds. First, check if the mulch layer, that helps to suppress weed growth, needs to be topped up – contact us for advice if in doubt.  Set a schedule for regular weeding and watch our helpful or a short video to get guidance on weeding your local Tiny Forest.