MAY

It’s a wonderful time to plant trees, shrubs, perennials, herbs, annual flowers, and vegetable plants!  You can also put your containers and hanging baskets outside.

Pinch the blooms from flower and vegetable transplants before planting. This helps direct the plant’s energy to developing roots, resulting in more productive plants. Gently loosen the roots of transplants before planting to help the plant establish itself. 

Add mulch around your plants or between rows in your garden as necessary to prevent weeds.

You will still need to keep an eye on the nighttime low temperatures to protect tender plants through the middle of May.

Put down a second application of fertilizer with crabgrass prevention on your lawn. Please don’t mow your lawn too low.

Prune spring-flowering shrubs when they finish blooming.

Spotted lanternfly eggs are hatching out.  See what they look like here and kill them on sight. 

Check yourself and others for ticks.  The nymphs (which are less than 2 mm) are nearly impossible to see and they begin feeding in spring.  Take necessary precautions when outside. 

Hummingbirds should be back this month so if you don’t have many flowers yet, be sure to put out a feeder for them!  Here is a recipe for their food. 

Keep everything watered, at least until the plants are well established.  Potted and container plants need daily watering. Watering mistakes are the most common way to kill plants.  Here is information on watering.