What to do in May in the garden
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May is the month to enjoy many of the perennials that will start blooming now and may stay in bloom for many months as the weather heats up. If you haven’t fertilized those spring and summer bloomers, now is the time to add a balanced fertilizer to the soil. It is also time to feed winter blooming plants such as camellias and azaleas.
Rapid growth this time of year on most plants means insects will be attracted to delicate new leaves and flower buds. A sharp spray of water will take care of aphids and whiteflies and releasing beneficial insects will keep them in control. Learn to accept a little insect damage that is normal in a healthy, thriving garden.
Cut back dying flowers as spring blooming perennials come to the end of their show. Keeping spent blooms deadheaded will prolong flowering times on some plants, but will keep the garden neat and free from debris that harbors disease and insects on all plants. The only exceptions are plants that you are trying to encourage to reseed.
Cutting back tall flowering perennials to encourage bushier and more profuse flowers can be done this month on perennials like Shasta daisies and Echinacea. If plants need to be staked to keep them upright as they grow and bloom, put the stakes in now so as to not disturb them later.
Some perennials will live for many years, some for two or three years and others are called perennial but will only live for a single season in our climate so do not be discouraged if you lose perennials occasionally. It is their nature.