Do you have a gardening To Do List? It's May and that means there's a lot of activity in my yard and garden. Here's the list of gardening chores I am working on through for the month of May.
May's Gardening To Do List
In general, my list is specific to Northeast gardeners because that is where I live.
Weed the flower beds and sprinkle with weed prevention. I use Preen.
Fertilize my perennials and the lawn (Hubby does the lawn). The lawn was fertilized a few weeks ago and is growing like gangbusters. We've had to mow every three to four days so far this month.
Deadhead bulbs and spring flowering perennials. The spring bulbs are so cheerful and beautiful.
It's a shame they fade so quickly. Deadheading helps to focus growth on the bulb for next season. Don't cut back the greenery yet. It will need to grow for about six weeks in order to sustain the bulbs. I'll be cutting mine back in mid-June.
Prune spring-flowering trees and shrubs after they bloom. I'll be focused on pruning our azaleas and rhododendrons this spring. In general, you can cut back about one-third of the plant without harm and stimulate new growth.
Stake my tall perennials now, like peonies and irises. These metal stakes work just great for my peonies.
Pinch back fall-blooming plants, like chrysanthemums and Montauk daisies. Here's a chrysanthemum that was planted last fall and I'm trying to nurture along. It will be cut back now, again in June and again at the beginning of July, in hope it will remain compact and bloom abundantly.
May's Gardening To Do List
In general, my list is specific to Northeast gardeners because that is where I live.
Weed the flower beds and sprinkle with weed prevention. I use Preen.
Fertilize my perennials and the lawn (Hubby does the lawn). The lawn was fertilized a few weeks ago and is growing like gangbusters. We've had to mow every three to four days so far this month.
Deadhead bulbs and spring flowering perennials. The spring bulbs are so cheerful and beautiful.
It's a shame they fade so quickly. Deadheading helps to focus growth on the bulb for next season. Don't cut back the greenery yet. It will need to grow for about six weeks in order to sustain the bulbs. I'll be cutting mine back in mid-June.
Prune spring-flowering trees and shrubs after they bloom. I'll be focused on pruning our azaleas and rhododendrons this spring. In general, you can cut back about one-third of the plant without harm and stimulate new growth.
Stake my tall perennials now, like peonies and irises. These metal stakes work just great for my peonies.
Pinch back fall-blooming plants, like chrysanthemums and Montauk daisies. Here's a chrysanthemum that was planted last fall and I'm trying to nurture along. It will be cut back now, again in June and again at the beginning of July, in hope it will remain compact and bloom abundantly.
All of this is going to keep me pretty busy, but gardening has its rewards. Gardening is good for both your mind and your body. Have you noticed how helpful pulling weeds can be in reducing stress? Gardening is also good exercise. Even though I keep a regular routine of exercise all year my gardening activities in the spring remind me of muscles I didn't know I had! And let's not forget about vitamin D. Gardening will help you to restock your vitamin D.
I'll leave you with a picture of the spinach in my raised bed vegetable garden. The spinach is growing very well. I may even harvest some of the wonderful baby spinach this week. I can't wait! Are you picking anything from your garden?
Do you like gardening, or would you prefer someone else take care of it for you? What's on your gardening To Do List this month?
We really need to get going on all of your great advice! Can't wait to get our yard in shape.
ReplyDeleteIt was very nice to meet you at BBCBos. Following you on GFC now :-)
Gardening is fun. My lettuce is doing very well. I let my spring flowers ie daffodils, fade out and tie them back until I can pull the flowers and greens out easily. I heard that helps them multiply. All of the bulbs I planted in the fall are doing well, irises and lillys. Before I planted them I dusted the bulbs with Gold Bond powder as directed by one of my home remedy books and not one critter dug them up!!!
ReplyDeleteRobin, Gold Bond Powder? Have you been holding out on me? That sounds like a great idea.
ReplyDeleteThis was the first year I tried Gold Bond powder....so far so good....am sharing now that I have good results!!!!
ReplyDeleteWe have to get our plants in the ground! Running late this year. Ugh. #CommentHour
ReplyDeletehttp://www.alittlenosh.net
I am jealous!! I want to have a garden so bad, but ... living in a second floor apartment, it's tough.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait until we can move and have one!!
Stopping by from Comment Hour last night!!
Now see!! You stuff is looking great! I am jealous of your Spinach! Mine totally flopped this year...I have zero idea why...lol :-) I think that is why I love gardening...such a mystery!
ReplyDeleteGold Bond!! I am going to have to remember that one! I wonder who thought to try that first? "Hey you know what...I think I will sprinkle these with some Gold Bond before I plant them!" Love it! :-)