Gardening Chores and Tips for May
Container Gardens
Plant artful container gardens for instant color. One big pot is easier to keep watered than a flock of smaller ones. Datura and Brugmansia
make spectacular container plants. They're the size of small trees with dangling ranks of large sweet-scented trumpet flowers. Containers
work well for vegetables and herbs too. 'Cherry Grande' is an excellent, short growing cherry tomato perfect for containers.
Lawns
Watch for Brown Patch Disease in wet areas of your lawn. Spray a fungicide to help control the disease. Cutting heights are important for
healthy grass. Cut grass higher in shady areas.
Vegetables
For best results and fruit production, plant snap beans, butter beans, super sweet corn, tomatoes and pepper transplants the first week of May.
Sweet potato transplants, heat tolerant tomatoes, okra, southern peas, pumpkins, watermelons, cucumbers, squash and cantaloupes may be
planted any time in May. The soil has warmed and the danger of frost has passed, so most spring vegetables can be planted.
Roses
To discourage black spot and mildew, water roses in the morning and avoid wetting the leaves. Six hours of sun a day helps your roses stay
healthy. Morning sun is best because it dries the dew off the leaves, helping prevent fungus diseases.
Annuals
There is still time to finish planting your summer annuals, such as petunias, marigolds, salvia, and impatiens. If the plants are in trays, make
sure that roots are not so matted that they can't expand outward into the soil. Gently pull the roots apart when planting.
Plant artful container gardens for instant color. One big pot is easier to keep watered than a flock of smaller ones. Datura and Brugmansia
make spectacular container plants. They're the size of small trees with dangling ranks of large sweet-scented trumpet flowers. Containers
work well for vegetables and herbs too. 'Cherry Grande' is an excellent, short growing cherry tomato perfect for containers.
Lawns
Watch for Brown Patch Disease in wet areas of your lawn. Spray a fungicide to help control the disease. Cutting heights are important for
healthy grass. Cut grass higher in shady areas.
Vegetables
For best results and fruit production, plant snap beans, butter beans, super sweet corn, tomatoes and pepper transplants the first week of May.
Sweet potato transplants, heat tolerant tomatoes, okra, southern peas, pumpkins, watermelons, cucumbers, squash and cantaloupes may be
planted any time in May. The soil has warmed and the danger of frost has passed, so most spring vegetables can be planted.
Roses
To discourage black spot and mildew, water roses in the morning and avoid wetting the leaves. Six hours of sun a day helps your roses stay
healthy. Morning sun is best because it dries the dew off the leaves, helping prevent fungus diseases.
Annuals
There is still time to finish planting your summer annuals, such as petunias, marigolds, salvia, and impatiens. If the plants are in trays, make
sure that roots are not so matted that they can't expand outward into the soil. Gently pull the roots apart when planting.
