MAY
Garden essentials:
- Visit public gardens for fresh ideas.
- Trim spring-blooming shrubs after bloom.
- Remove spent bulb seedpods, allowing bulb foliage to mature.
- Fill containers for summer color.
- Combine herbs with annual flowers.
- Plant dahlias, gladiolus and calla lilies.
Veggies year-round:
- Harden tender transplants by putting them out in a sheltered location and bringing them in at night.
- When soil warms, seed corn and beans.
- Transplant starts of heat-lovers such as tomatoes, peppers, squash and cucumbers.
Lawn care:
- Check all irrigation systems; set up a simple rain gauge.
- Lawns optimally require 1 inch of water weekly, as either rain or irrigation not both.
- Mow every five to seven days.
- Tolerate some weeds; dig out dandelions to prevent seeding.
