Month of May Gardening To Do Tips …

VEGETABLES

  –  Beginning in May, plant pumpkin and herb seeds and plants. Basil, sage and savory may be direct seeded.

  –  Plant beans, cucumbers, eggplant, melons, peppers, okra, Swiss chard, tomatoes, squash and sweet potatoes.

  –  Side-dress beans 2-3 weeks after emergence.

  –  Thin and harvest beets, carrots, lettuce, radishes, spinach and scallions as needed. Cultivate at least once a week to keep the soil loose.

  –  Mulch broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and peas

  –  Do not mulch the rest of the garden until the end of May or early June when the ground is warm. Remove all weeds first.

  –  Check frequently for bean beetles, squash bugs, borers and cabbage moths as well as other garden pests. Destroy as many as possible to keep in check.

  –  Blanch cauliflower heads when they are the size of a silver dollar.

May 15th is the latest date to plant lettuce.

May 25th is the latest date to plant melons, okra, peppers and salsify from seed.

FRUIT & NUTS

  –  In the orchard, remove suckers and misshapen or damaged fruit as they appear, but do not thin fruits until after the spring drop, when they are the size of a dime.

  –  Renew mulch around trees, canes and bushes after the soil has warmed.

  –  If the spring has been dry, water trees to ensure a good fruit set .

  –  After the blossoms have fallen, spray fruit trees with fruit tree spray to reduce insect and disease problems.

  –  Begin monitoring for pests and diseases

  –  Cut raspberry canes to 30 inches

  –  Remove blossoms from strawberry plants set out earlier in the spring.

  –  In established strawberry beds, remove any plants showing signs of disease. Mulch with straw to conserve moisture and to keep developing fruit off the ground.

  –  Fertilize all fruits.

ORNAMENTALS

  –  As the soil warms and dries, set out cannas, dahlias and gadiolus.

  –  Add bone meal to new planting beds

  –  As the first shoots appear in the perennial beds, side dress with compost, a balanced granular fertilizer or well-composted manure

  –  Chrysanthemums should be pinched back to induce bushiness.

  –  As blossoms fade, prune mock orange, forsythia, lilac and other early flowering shrubs.

  –  Prune spent blooms from lilacs before seedpods form

  –  To have extra large blooms on peonies, remove all buds except for the terminal one

  –  Feed spring flowering shrubs just after bloom

  –  Late in May, move houseplants outside to a shady place

  –  Check frequently for early emerging pests such as aphids caterpillars, scale and bagworms

  –  Potted roses can still be planted

  –  Spray roses for disease. Don’t like to spray? Use Bayer All in One the only monthly drench with systemic fungicide, insecticide and fertilizer.

  –  Remove spent blossoms from annual and perennial flowers every few days if possible. This prevents formation of seeds and allows the plant’s energy to be used for growth and future flowering

  –  After trees leaf out, make a map to show where the sun shines in your yard and for how long each day. This will help you know where to plant different types of plants

  –  Apply spring lawn fertilizer, if desired, using a slow release nitrogen source.

  –  Mow cool season lawns (fescue, bluegrass) 2.5″ to 3″ tall through summer months for a healthier lawn.

  –  Avoid watering your lawn frequently to reduce weed germination and disease. It is better to water with an inch of water once a week, unless temperatures rise over 100 degrees.

Timely Tips for the Frugal Gardener

  –  Create plant markers from old vinyl mini blinds. Cut the blinds to an 8 inch length, and cut the flat end to a point (this is the end that will go in the ground) use a sharpie or other permanent marker to write the name of your plants or seeds and place in the garden. These will easily last a growing season to keep your plants well marked.

  –  Use a clear vinyl over the door shoe caddy attached to the back of a door in your garage or potting shed to keep track of your gardening tools, gloves, pruners and other garden goodies. You can easily see what you have in each pocket. I also keep my containers of liquid garden chemicals in the top pockets, which are out of reach of small children.