• It's still not too late to fertilize your trees and shrubs. Use a 'Rhododendron' or an 'Evergreen' type of plant food to feed evergreens and acid loving plants like Rhododendrons, Camellias, Azaleas, and Junipers, etc. Use an all-purpose garden fertilizer (10-10-10) to feed roses, deciduous shrubs and trees. Be sure to water the fertilizer in thoroughly after it is applied.
  
  
• Early flowering deciduous shrubs such as Forsythias, Weigela, and Spiraea should be pruned back when they have finished blooming. Cut back a third of the oldest canes to ground level, then cut back one third of the remaining branches by one third of their height.
  
• Remove the wilting seed heads from Rhododendrons and Azaleas, so that the plants energy can go to foliage growth and next year’s flowers, rather than seeds.
  
• Work lime in the soil around your Hydrangeas to produce pink flowers or Aluminum Sulphate for blue.
  
• Remove any sucker growths from fruit trees as soon as they appear.
  
• Keep a close eye on your roses, and sprayed for aphids and other pests and diseases such as black spot regularly.
  
• Pines and other conifers can be kept to a compact size by pinching off the new growth.
   
• Lilacs should be pruned lightly after they finish blooming and  remove all sucker's from the base and dead blooms. Feed lilacs in May with a good all purpose 10-10-10 fertilizer such as Gromore after they have finished blooming. If your soil has an acidic pH, work a little lime into the soil as well.

• Dahlias, Gladiolas, tuberous Begonias, Lilies and Cannas and other summer flowering bulbs can be planted this month. Gladiolas bulbs may be planted at regular intervals until the first of July to provide a steady supply of cut flowers.
  
• Delphiniums, Phlox, Daylilies, Carnations, Aubrietia, Candytuft, Basket of Gold, Primroses, Coral Bells and Saxifraga and other summer flowering perennials may all be planted into the garden any time in May.
  
• Cut off wilting Tulip or Daffodil heads but continue to feed and care for the plants for 6 weeks after flowers have died off to build the bulbs for next years display. Old plantings of Daffodils may be divided and moved when they have finished blooming, but treat them as growing plants and use care to protect the foliage and roots.
  
•  It is best not to dig or move other spring flowering bulbs until their foliage has ripened and died back.
  
• Pansies, Snapdragons, Dianthus, Petunias, Geraniums, Fuchsias and Impatiens should be ready to plant by mid month. Toward the end of the month, it should be warm enough to plant out the more tender annuals like Salvia, Zinnias, Marigolds, Lobelia and the hardier Alpine plants.
  
• Lightly side dress perennials with an all-purpose 5-10-10 or 10-10-10 fertilizer. Avoid spilling the fertilizer on the plant, and use care not to damage the shallow roots when you work it into the soil.
  
• Setting stakes or frames next to your taller flowers early in the season, will help to support the plant against winds as well as making them easier to 'train'.
  
• Promptly remove spent flowers from any plant unless your intent is to harvest the seeds. It consumes the plants energy to produce the seeds, and in many species of plants (especially annuals), removing the dead flowers will promote further blooms.

FRUITS and VEGGIES

• Carrots, lettuce, potatoes, corn, beans, peas and most popular vegetables  can be seeded or planted into the vegetable garden at any time now.
  
• Wait until mid to late May before planting the warmer weather crops like tomatoes, squash, cucumber, pumpkins and peppers.
  
• Use protective netting over your strawberries late this month as you may begin to see the first fruit  The birds will enjoy them very much if you don't provide some protective netting over them. Newly planted strawberries should have the flowers picked off until they become well established.
  
• Gourds may be planted late in the month, if your growing season is long enough.

THE LAWN

• May is a good month to repair your lawn. Fill in the bare spots by slightly loosening surface of the soil and sow a good quality lawn seed over the area evenly' rake the seed in gently and water. Keep the patch moist by covering with light mulch of compost and protect from the birds.
  
• This is the time to deal with lawn weeds by hand pulling, or the application of a 'weed and feed' fertilizer before they go to seed!

HOUSEPLANTS

• Check to see if your houseplants are pot bound. Carefully remove them from their pots. If the roots have compacted around the outside of the root ball, it is time to repot to a pot one size larger using a house plant or multi-purpose compost.
  
• Carefully examine your houseplants for pests and problems. It is much easier to fight an insect infestation or disease in its early stages than to wait.
  
• Feed your plants with a good all purpose house plant food to the manufacturers recommended rates, increasing the proportion slightly to accommodate growth spurts. Over use of fertilizers can cause root and foliage burn.
  
• Mist your plants regularly. ( Not hairy leaf plants like African Violets) This adds to the humidity and will keep the leaves cleaner and healthier, and also helps to prevent spider mites.

ODDS and ENDS

• Slugs and snails are on the attack now eager to destroy your plants so take control now.
  
• The weeds will also be doing well this time of year so keep on top of them by removing them by hand, hoe or with weed killer in areas where you will not affect your plants.
  
• Inspect your garden canes and buy new ready for the season ahead.

 

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Est: 1940



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