May in the garden
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Everything is growing this month! To insure full, lush summer perennials, pinch back those bushy ones that are not blooming yet. Deadhead spring bloomers for another flush of flowers before it gets too hot.
Fertilize shrubs that have been blooming all winter and spring before they go dormant to assure a good show next year. Azaleas and camellias will especially appreciate a dose of an acid-based feeding and a layer of mulch to get them through the summer. Now is also the time to prune these shrubs if required.
This month is a good time to plant almost any perennial or shrub. Be sure to take into account the eventual size of the plant to make sure it will not outgrow its space or require a great deal of maintenance to maintain its place.
Although the name perennial indicates that these plants will live on for many seasons, they don’t always and some should just be replaced every few years to keep them looking healthy and robust. If a perennial plant is looking misshaped and too woody, it may be a good idea to replace it this month.
Now is also the time to plant tropical plants and flowering vines. They prefer the warmer weather to get started and will still thrive in the heat of summer. Even though many tropical plants like bougainvillea will eventually become drought tolerant, they will need sufficient water the first year until they become established.
If you didn’t fertilize and mulch last month, do it now while the soil is still cool and damp from springr rains. Do any hand-weeding first and lay down two to three inches of mulch to discourage weeds in the future. Watch for them diligently and pull them out as soon as they appear for easiest control.
Watering may become a regular chore this month as the rainy season tapers off. It is still cool and damp in the mornings so avoid wetting the leaves to discourage mildew problems.