Chores and Maintenance:

• Finish preparation of planting beds
• Continue to cultivate planting beds and carefully remove young weeds
• Dig and divide early-blooming perennials after flowering
• Lift, divide and replant late summer and fall-blooming perennials
• Set supports for floppy plants, vines and vegetables
• Mow lawns regularly to keep grass at 2½ inch height
• Begin watering program as necessary
• Continue weeding
• Aerate and moisten compost pile to speed decomposition
• Mulch azaleas, rhododendrons, and other ericaceous ornamentals with acid mulch
• Mulch planting beds
• Deadhead bulbs but allow foliage to remain until yellow to nourish bulbs for next year’s display
• As night temperatures moderate into the 60’s, move houseplants outdoors (avoid full sun and windy locations)
• Look for pests and other problems; spotting early can mean fewer chemical controls. Note: slugs and caterpillars can be removed manually
• Begin application of deer repellents

Planting:

• Move self-sown annuals and perennials to desired locations
• Sow seeds of corn, cucumber and melon directly in the garden
• Harden off tomato, eggplant and pepper transplants before planting out at end of month
• Complete planting deciduous trees and shrubs, weather and soil conditions permitting
• Continue to plant and transplant perennials
• Plant summer annuals after last frost date
• Plant summer-flowering bulbs such as gladiolas and dahlias after last frost date
• Plant caladium and tuberous begonias in shady spots
• Complete reseeding bare lawn areas

Pruning/Composting:

• Pinch back late summer and fall-blooming perennials
• Continue to prune all plant material to remove any diseased, dead, weak or crossing branches
• Prune early spring-flowering shrubs after blooming
• Wait to prune evergreens, hedges and other shrubs until late spring into early summer
• Begin deadheading roses
• Add compost/organic fertilizer to roses
• Fertilize needle evergreens with  organic acid type fertilizer
• Compost/fertilize bulbs as they finish blooming
• Compost/fertilize annuals and container plants

Related articles

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