We have included some monthly to-dos and helpful tips to help members keep up with their gardens. Enjoy!
Please feel free to contact Kian S if you would like to contribute gardening tips and suggestions.
This April has been very wet and cooler than normal, with one of the latest frosts I can recall. Now that we are past the last frost date, many frost-tender plants can go in the garden. Here's hoping for a warmer May with lots of sunshine!
Most of the perennials in the garden should be starting to emerge. Prune back dead branches of shrubs that did not survive the bitter cold snap we had in late winter. Not sure if the stems or branches are alive? Scrape very gently along the outer layer of the branch. If it is green it is still alive. Even with winter damage on some of the branches and stems you should see new growth starting at the base of the shrubs. Slug patrol continues to be necessary to keep the population down, especially around hostas and dahlias.
You can still dig up and divide perennials. Just make sure you keep them well watered till they are established. If you haven't applied mulch, May is a good time to get the mulch on to keep weeds down and to retain moisture, as we head into the rainless summer months. This is also a good time to stake your rapidly growing peonies, irises, and lilies if they tend to flop. The emerging foliage will grow around the staking, disguise the stakes, and look more natural than trying to stake the plants up after they flop. Enjoy the lushness of the May garden, as leaves fill in and flowers bloom.
In the veg patch: Everything can be sown or planted safely outdoors this month, although beans and cucurbits should be planted when the soil temperature is around 60 degrees. Transplants of brassicas, leeks, and cool weather crops can be set out in the garden in early May, but transplants of tomatoes and peppers should be put in the ground in mid to late May, unless under cloche, as they like warmer soil temperatures. Stop sowing seeds of cool-weather vegetables by the first week of May, and start sowing seeds for warm-weather crops.
Indoors: Basil can be started indoors to plant out in late May, as even the coolest winds/temperatures will damage the delicate leaves.
For a detailed planting calendar, please refer to
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