Monthly Tips
May
Listen
Frost reports and forecasts will give you guidance as to when it is safe to plant your seedlings. May 31 or Memorial Day is the nominal safe, last frost date, in Mass.
Plant
Early in the month start cucumber, squash and pumpkin seedlings indoors. Make a second planting of beets carrots, radishes and leaf lettuce outdoors. At mid month, plant sweet corn and green bean seeds. At the end of the month, plant tomato, pepper and eggplant. Cold weather annuals such as Pansies, Violets and Johnny Jump Ups can be planted.
Clean
Keep birdbaths cleaned regularly to avoid standing dirty water which harbors mosquito larva. Non toxic larva killers can be put in the water also.
Stake
Put stakes or support hoops around peonies and delphinium before they grow too tall. Begin planting summer bulbs.
Amend
Add well rotted compost to flower and vegetable beds. The organic matter will enrich the soil.
Fertilize
Roses, trees, shrubs and the lawn should be fertilized. Large trees should be “root fed”. Use a weed control fertilizer on the lawn to prevent dandelions and other broad leaf weeds from “taking over”. It will take up to 3 applications of a strong liquid weed killer to eliminate ground ivy, spurge and wild violets.
Prune
Prune lilac, rhododendron, azalea and other early blooming shrubs if desired directly after flowering.
Apply
Paint a two inch band of Cygon around each tree in the clump to prevent Birch leaf miner. Use a systemic rose and flower care on roses and check for fungus (apply a fungicide). Corn gluten can be applied to flower beds as a natural weed inhibitor. Fruit trees should be sprayed after the flowers have passed. Apply your second lawn fertilizer/weed control application at months end. This is called Step 2. In an organic program you will use an organic fertilizer.
Needham Garden Center
Cygon, compost, root fertilizers, mosquito killers (natural and chemical) and support stakes and hoops are all available in many sizes.