- Remove winter mulch from
perennials and, especially, bulbs once they show signs of new
growth.
- When bulbs show signs of new
growth, it's also the time for slugs to resume activity, so
put out slug bait at that time.
- Be careful when working the
soil this month. If it's too wet, it will dry out in hard
clumps, ruining that all-important soil texture.
Keep It Up -- Continue to
plant container-grown trees, shrubs, ground covers, perennial
herbs, and perennial flowers.
Planting Bare-Root Trees,
Shrubs and Roses -- Continue to plant bare-root trees and
shrubs as well as bare-root roses.
Deadheading 101 --
Deadhead spent flower heads on fading spring-blooming bulbs, if
you have any at this point, to direct their energy back to their
roots so they can build vigor for next year.
- Outdoors, as long as the soil
is well-thawed, you can plant cool-season crops and flowers,
including seeds for radishes, peas, sweet peas, lettuces, and
greens, as well as seedlings for broccoli, cauliflower, and
cabbages.
- Wait to plant warm-season
annuals (tomatoes, peppers, basil, marigolds, petunias, and
the like) once all danger of frost has passed and the soil has
warmed up well.
- If you've overwintered fuchsia
pots or baskets, take them out of dark storage now and put
them in the warmth and light of a south-facing window or other
sunny, enclosed spot. Put them outdoors after all danger of
frost has passed.
What To Plant -- Plant
potatoes and perennial fruits and vegetables, such as rhubarb,
strawberries (keep the blossoms pinched off the first year to
encourage stronger root growth), and asparagus, this month.
Fertilize camellias and
rhododendrons now with a fertilizer made especially for
acid-loving plants
Divide Your Perennials --
Divide perennials that will bloom in the summer or fall once
they've sent up significant foliage at least a couple inches tall.
(Wait to divide spring-blooming perennials after they bloom.)
Perennials need dividing when they are getting crowded, as
evidenced by reduced blooms, floppy stems, or a dead spot in the
middle. Or perhaps you simply want more plants!
- Prune evergreens any time from
now until late summer. (Don't prune later than that or you'll
prompt new, tender growth that will get zapped by winter's
cold.)
- Prune raspberries.
June-bearing types should be thinned to 6 inches apart, the
tips removed, and old canes from last year removed. You can
just cut ever-bearing types to the ground.
- Renovate weak lawns along the
coast by reseeding the lawn this month. Wait until next month
in colder inland areas.
- Resolve to mow your lawn
regularly and at the right height. It's the best thing you can
do to control weeds and keep grass thick and healthy. Now,
during cool weather, mow at 2 inches or so. In July when hot
weather hits, raise the mower to 3 inches.
- Clear out debris and muck from
the bottom of the water garden and add it to your compost
heap. Start feeding fish again when water temperatures hit 50
degrees F or they're active and eagerly eat the food.
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