Emily's Gardening Almanac Timely Tips from a Professional Gardening Expert

May

	Now is the time to plant your summer bulbs such as glads, caladiums, calla lilies.
	Remember to have glads for cut flowers for the entire summer, you must space your plantings so that you are not planting all the bulbs at the same time.
	Prepare hanging baskets for your yard. Be creative and mix your baskets using color, trailing plants, and foliage plants for interest.
	Do not mix sun loving plants and shade loving plants in your hanging baskets since somebody will not be happy.
	You do not have to hang hanging baskets. Sometimes removing the hanger and placing the basket on the steps, porch, or ground creates an interesting and impressive look.
	Continue your spraying program on your roses. To control powdery mildew or black spot you may have to spray weekly. Be sure to spray after rainy periods.
	Move houseplants outside in shade. Re-pot if needed. Remember to check more often for water needs now that the plants are outside.
	To make flowers on a Hydrangea mcarophylla pink instead of blue, you need to add 2 cups of ground lime around the base of the plant and water thoroughly. In alkaline soil, the hydrangea has pink flowers and in acid soil they have blue flowers.

Visit the following web sites for more gardening information and helpful tips:

Urban Horticulture, NCSU
Extension's Successful Gardener^sm

For informaton concerning this or other publications please contact Emily Revels, Extension Agent, Horticulture, at (910) 321-6870.

Created by Susan Johnson, System Administrator, May 2005