Plants in Flower:

Southern Magnolia, Golden Chain Tree, Kousa dogwood, Hybrid rhododendron, Mountain Laurel, Satsuki azalea, Scotch Broom, Deutzia, Beauty Bush, Weigela, Gumpo azalea, Roses, Clematis, Honeysuckle, Dianthus, Sweet William, Candytuft, Bearded Iris, Peony, Coreopsis, Poppy, Lady Slipper and Summer Annuals.

What to Fertilize:

--Fertilize summer flowering plants like crape myrtle, butterfly bush and rose-of-sharon this month.
--Do not forget to sidedress or fertilize your vegetables six to eight weeks after germination.

What to Plant:

--Plant gladioli corms this month.
-- Continue setting out summer annuals like begonia, geranium, marigold, petunia and zinnia this month.
--The following vegetable plants can be set out this month: eggplant, pepper, tomato and sweet potato.
--The following vegetables can be planted this month: beans, lima beans, cantaloupe, corn, cucumbers, okra, southern peas, pumpkin, squash and watermelon.

What to Prune:

--Prune your hybrid rhododendron after they finish flowering.
--Prune any hedges that have outgrown their desired shape.
--Begin pinching your chrysanthemums and continue through mid-July.
--Pick off azalea and sasanqua camellia leaf galls if they develop.
--Do NOT cut back spring bulb foliage until it turns yellow and brown.

Pest Outlook:

--Check the following landscape shrubs for the following insect pests: arborvitae and juniper-bagworms, azalea- lace bug, boxwood-leafminer, camellia-tea scale, crape myrtle-aphid, euonymus-scale, hemlock and juniper - spider mites and pyracantha-lace bug.
--Spray hybrid rhododendron for borers.
--Spray iris beds for iris borers if a problem in the past.
--Spray the following vegetables if insects are observed: cucumber-cucumber beetle, squash-squash vine borer and aphids, tomato and eggplant - flea beetle, broccoli, cauliflower & cabbage-worms.
--Begin corn ear worm control at early silking and continue through the late silking stages.
--Weekly sprays on red-tip photinia for leaf spot.
--Spray your blueberry plants for borers in mid-May.
--Continue with rose spray program for black spot. Look for aphids on your roses as well.
--Keep spraying your tree fruits and bunch grapes with a fungicide program.
--To control poison ivy and honeysuckle, begin spraying this month with a recommended herbicide.
--The North Carolina Extension Service recommends that you use pesticides sparingly. Spray only when needed.

Lawn Care:

--Fertilize warm season grasses like Bermudagrass and zoysia this month. Do NOT fertilize tall fescue now.
--Start any warm season lawns like zoysia, Bermudagrass and centipede grass in May.
--Mowing heights for your lawn are important. Cut tall fescue at three inches, zoysia at one inch, hybrid Bermudagrass at 3/4 inch and centipede grass at one inch.

Propagation:

--Take softwood cuttings of plants like clematis, chrysanthemum and geranium in late May if you have a misting system.

Specific Chores:

--Purchase locally grown strawberries!
--Move houseplants outside, if desired.
--If weather has been dry, give favorite plants a good soaking once a week.