May Gardening Calendar

May is spring at its best. Everything is alive with promise: Trees, shrubs, and many flowers are all putting on a show. The glory of our region, the lilacs, are at their finest, and the air is softly scented with the smell of flowers and freshly mown grass. Granted, there are still some chilly evenings and cold rains, but warm days are overwhelmingly here, and the full force of the season is upon us.

If April started heating things up in the garden, then May is red-hot! There is so much to do this month, so let's get a move on!

1.  Continue removing spent blooms from spring flowering bulbs. This will keep the bulbs from expending energy producing seed, which will diminish next year's floral display. Don't pull the foliage or trim it back. Allow it to ripen. This allows the bulb to make and store food for next year's flowering. Again, fertilize after blooming stops with a good organic fertilizer.

2.  When lilacs stop blooming, removed faded blooms to promote good flowering next year. Remove suckers and reshape bushes by pruning after flowering has finished.

3.  Finish divide early blooming perennials and late summer to early fall blooming perennials this month.

4.  Pinch back cushion and garden mums to promote bushiness and better flowering.

5.  Sometimes Nature doesn't cooperate in the rain department. It is crucial that newly planted nursery stock and roses, rhododendrons, and azaleas get an inch or two of water a week. Supplement Nature with deep watering.

6.  Towards the end of the month and into June, bring houseplants outside to a shady porch to enjoy the summer.

7.  Towards the end of the month, transplant all those goodies, annual and perennial, that you have hardened off or purchased. Try to do this on a cloudy, windless day.

8.  Fertilize roses and other flowering bushes. Think organic!

9.  Look out for aphids and other pests that think your garden is a salad bar. Use organic controls. Sometimes a good blast from the hose will help dislodge pests.

10. Remove spent blooms from azaleas and rhododendrons carefully. Be sure not to remove the growing tip.

11. Mid to late month, bush beans, corn, and other heat-loving vegetable seeds can be planted as the soil warms up.

12. Keep up on weeding chores.

13. Directly plant warm season bulbs such as dahlias, cannas and gladiolas towards the end of the month and into June.

14. Now and into June is the time that many directly seeded annuals can be planted as the soil warms up.

15. Start applying deer controls to your yard, if you have a problem with them browsing in your plantings.

16. Fertilize evergreens.

17. Complete planting balled and burlaped nursery stock early in the month.

18. Start setting up hummingbird feeders.

19. Pinch back annuals and perennials to prevent legginess and encourage bloom.

20. Continue to turn and work the compost pile. Keep it moist, but not soggy.

21. Deadhead spent blooms of early perennials.

Page Last Updated January 30, 2006