~ What to do in the Garden in
May ~
Planning
•
Prepare and prime irrigation system for summer. Flush drip
irrigation and test sprinkler systems.
•
Use a soil thermometer or planting chart to help you know when to plant vegetables. Wait until the soil
is consistently above 70 degrees Farenheit to plant tomatoes, squash, melons,
peppers and eggplant.
•
Place pheromone traps in apple trees to detect presence of
codling moth. Plan a control program of sprays, baits, or predators when moths
are found.
Maintenance and Clean Up
•
If needed, fertilize rhododendrons and azaleas with acid-type
fertilizer. If established and healthy, their nutrient needs should be minimal.
Remove spent blossoms.
•
When selecting new roses, choose plants labeled for resistance
to diseases. Now is a good time to fertilize.
Planting/Propagation
•
Plant dahlias, gladioli, and tuberous begonias in mid-May.
•
Plant chrysanthemums for fall color.
•
Plant these vegetables: snap
and lima beans, Brussels sprouts, cantaloupes, slicing and pickling cucumbers,
dill, eggplant, kale, peppers, pumpkins, summer and winter squash, onions,
potatoes, tomatoes, and watermelon.
Pest Monitoring and Management
•
If an unknown plant problem occurs, contact the
Master Gardener hotline for identification and future management
options.
•
Manage weeds while they are small and actively growing with
light cultivation. Mulch to prevent
weeds. Put down cardboard under mulch
where there is a large patch of weeds.
•
Leafrolling worms may affect apples and blueberries. Prune off
and destroy affected leaves.
•
Monitor aphids on strawberries and ornamentals. If present,
control options include washing off with water, hand removal, or use
insecticidal soap. Follow all label directions prior to using insecticides.
Promoting natural enemies (predators and parasitoids that eat or kill insects)
is a longer-term solution for insect control in gardens.
See this article for more information.
•
Spittle bugs may appear on ornamental plants as foam on stems.
In most cases, they don't require management. If desired, wash off with water
or use insecticidal soap as a contact spray. Read and follow label directions
when using insecticides, including insecticidal soap.
•
Control cabbage worms in cabbage and cauliflower, 12-spotted
cucumber beetles in beans and lettuce, and maggots in radishes. Control can
involve hand removal, placing barrier screen over newly planted rows, or
spraying or dusting with registered pesticides, labeled for use on the problem
plant. Read and follow label directions when using insecticides.
See this article for more information.
•
Tiny holes in foliage and shiny, black beetles on tomato, beets,
radishes, and potato indicate flea beetle attack. Treat with Neem, Bt-s, or use
nematodes for larvae. Read and follow label directions when using insecticides.
See this article for more information.
•
Prevent root maggots when planting cole crops (cabbage,
broccoli, collards and kale) by covering with row covers or screens, or by
applying appropriate insecticides.
•
Monitor rhododendrons, azaleas, primroses and other broadleaf
ornamentals for adult root weevils. Look for fresh evidence of feeding
(notching at leaf edges). Try sticky trap products on plant trunks to trap
adult weevils. Protect against damaging the bark by applying the sticky
material on a 4-inch wide band of poly sheeting or burlap wrapped around the
trunk. Mark plants now and manage with beneficial nematodes when soil
temperatures are above 55 degrees Farenheit. If root weevils are a consistent
problem, consider removing plants and choosing
resistant varieties (PDF).
•
Control slugs with bait or traps and by removing or mowing
vegetation near garden plots.
•
Monitor blueberry, raspberry, strawberry and other plants that
produce soft fruits and berries for Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD). Learn how to monitor
for SWD flies and larval infestations in fruit.
