The Garden in May: Things to do this Month

• Water regularly, if it doesn’t rain
• Water newly planted plants even if rain is predicted
• Deadhead spring blooming bulbs, but let the foliage grow until it yellows
• Deadhead and begin replacing pansies and primroses as the blossoms fade
• Give everything a good feeding, to get things growing
• Divide crowded perennials and share
• Make sure tall perennials are staked
• Keep the perennial vegetables and berries weeded
• Move rosemary plants outdoors, if they don’t live there year round
• Repot houseplants in new soil
• Check out the azaleas in bloom for future purchases
• Plant or transplant trees and shrubs before the heat of summer
• Start digging that pond you’ve been talking about
• Clean bird feeders
• Turn the compost
• Keep a watch out for asparagus beetles, aphids, cabbage worms, cutworms, scale, slugs & snails and any signs of fungal diseases (leaf spot, mildew, rust...)
• Rip out invasive plants while the soil and damp, before they spread even further