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May
2003 Gardening Tips There's something peaceful and calming about working in the garden, not to mention the satisfaction of producing your own flowers, herbs, fruits and vegetables. Avid gardeners know this and often wonder why more people don't take up gardening as their hobby? Perhaps you're bored and need something satisfying to do? If so, consider gardening. May is a great month to enjoy the outdoor weather and get lots of gardening done. What to Plant: Don't forget to plant some annual vines like moonflower, hyacinth vine or scarlet runner bean. Seed them now so they can grow up an arbor, mingle with your climbing rose, brighten up a fence, or cover an unsightly shed. Perennials - This is the month to plant sub-tropicals such as bougainvillea, citrus, hibiscus, and palms. Just remember you are gambling with bougainvilleas and hibiscus; a cold winter can kill them. Vegetables - Plant, beans, corn, cucumber, eggplant, melons, okra, peppers, pumpkins, summer squash, and tomatoes. Also plant all the heat loving herbs, basil, dill, thyme, oregano and sages. Stagger your plantings so you have fresh veggies all summer long. Garden Chores: Fertilize: If you haven't gotten to it already this spring, feed lawns, roses, shrubs, and trees. Give acid fertilizer to your azaleas, gardenias, and rhododendrons as soon as they are finished blooming. Because of their shallow root systems just scatter fertilizer around the base and drip line of the bushes and water deeply. Pest Control: Blast aphids, mites and whiteflies with a jet of water from a hose. Repeat regularly. Don't forget to spray the undersides of leaves. If infestations are extremely heavy try using an insecticidal soap. In April I had heavy infestation of aphids and only used water to clean them off, now I have a bumper crop of ladybugs helping me out. Watch for caterpillars or "worms" on plants. Spray with Bacillus thuringiensis, a natural pesticide commonly called BT. If your petunia buds fail to bloom, try BT on them also. Continue to bait or handpick slugs and snails. Pull weeds when they are young and before they develop seeds. Pinch and prune: Pinch out growing tips of bedding plants to promote branching and compact growth. Frequent cutting of blooms as they fade usually prolongs the bloom period. Don't forget to prune spring blooming shrubs like forsythia, azaleas, and lilac when they finish flowering. If you haven't gotten around to it yet, then lightly prune the camellias to shape too. May and early June are the best times to thin fruit on deciduous fruit trees. This encourages larger fruit and prevents limb breakage. Remove any twins or triplets to single fruit and provide plenty of space between individual fruits. This will give fewer but larger, better tasting fruit and you'll end up with less waste. Container plants: Prepare container plants for the summer season. Plants that are root-bound should be repotted. Plants in pots require fertilizer more often than those in the ground. I use a slow-release form of fertilizer to save myself some time. When you finish with your spring planting, store left over seeds for next year. Place packets in an airtight container and keep in a cool dry spot. Some seeds may lose some viability so germination won't be 100 percent, but they are still worth saving. Remember Mothers Day this May 11th. Go shopping for Mom at the nurseries and check out the color bowls, hanging baskets, and new perennials on display. There are lots of arbors, fountains, stepping stones, and garden statues to choose from too. By the time Memorial Day rolls around (May 26th), you'll know just what to get a special Veteran to make them feel more special.
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