Master Gardener^sm Column for the Week of May 2, 2005
Judy Koehly
Brunswick County Extension Master Gardener^sm Volunteer

May is a glorious time to be in the garden! Your most important task in May is to make certain you have a comfortable place to sit where you can enjoy the sounds and scents and the beauty of your own garden.

Next important is to save your watering for early morning which is most efficient and effective. Evening watering invites fungus and disease problems. Check your favorite garden shop or nursery for innovations in drip irrigation. A drip system with timer can be a wonderful labor and water saver when hot, dry weather arrives. Watering plants (especially roses and tomatoes) with a soaker hose or drip system will reduce exposure to fungal diseases. A thin layer of mulch (2–3 inches) around your plants will help guard against moisture loss. Grass clippings (unless they have been sprayed with herbicides) and old newspapers make inexpensive and effective mulch and also help deter weeds. Newly planted or transplanted ornamentals must be watered during dry periods for at least one year. Raised bed plantings will need watering 2-3 times a week during the summer. Container plants also need water more often, perhaps daily or twice daily, so check often. Remember that light-colored pots reflect the sun and stay cooler.

If you don’ have space in your garden you can plant herbs in pots and keep them on your deck or somewhere close to your kitchen door. Herbs like it dry and sunny. Once the air conditioning goes on it’s time for your houseplants to move outdoors. Give them a spot that has part shade to help acclimate them to the summer sun.

Pinch back mums, zinnias, salvia, petunias, marigolds, and snapdragons to slow down top growth and to encourage lateral branching and more blooms. Keep removing spent flowers to get more blooms. Plant annual vines such as blackeyed Susan vine, cardinal vine, hummingbird vine, hyacinth bean, moonflower, and scarlet runner. They grow quickly and attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Plant canna rhizomes, dahlias, and other summer bulbs now. Plant annuals and perennials all month.

Once your spring bulbs have faded you can fertilize to ensure beautiful blooms for next year. If blooms were small due to overcrowding, you can mark the area now so you can divide and transplant in October. Summer bulbs such as daylilies, amaryllis, Easter lilies, and gladioli can use some fertilizer now. If they were not fertilized in April, crape myrtles and other ornamentals will benefit from fertilizer now. Azaleas can be fertilized after they bloom, and as always rake away the spent blooms. Roses can be fed every six weeks.

Powdery mildew may be a problem during May. It is most likely found on euonymus, dogwood and crape myrtle. Spraying with a fungicide may control this fungal disease. As always, spray according to label directions. Disease prevention is key for trying to limit chemical use. Wet foliage at night will enhance the development of diseases. Keep an eye on azaleas, gardenias, hydrangeas, and magnolias for yellow leaves with green veins. This is probably a sign of iron chlorosis, which is cured easily with a light application of Ironite around the base of each plant.

When transplanting tomatoes, take advantage of the warm soil close to the surface (which induces root growth) by planting them parallel to the ground in trenches rather than in deep holes. For an even stronger root system, bury all but the upper three inches of each plant. Add some lime in the trench.

Video your garden throughout the blooming spring, summer, and fall seasons. You will have a record of your plantings as well as a wonderful reminder of summer during the cooler months of January and February. Search out and plant winter bloomers now for color in your winter garden. Look for winter daphne, red trumpet honeysuckle, winter witch hazel, and of course, camellias.

Recommendations for the use of chemicals are included as a convenience to the reader. The use of brand names and any mention or listing of commercial products or services does not imply endorsement by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service nor discrimination against similar products or services not mentioned. Individuals who use chemicals are responsible for ensuring that the intended use complies with current regulations and conforms to the product label. Be sure to obtain current information about usage and examine a current product label before applying any chemical. For assistance, contact the Cooperative Extension Service.

Send your gardening questions or comments to: Brunswick County Master Gardener Column, P.O. Box 109, Bolivia, NC 28422, or call (910) 253-2610. Enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope if requesting information or a reply. Answers may be printed in this column.

For further information or assistance, please e-mail:
Charlie Spencer, Brunswick County Extension Master Gardener^smVolunteer

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Date Created 4/29/2005