U of A University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture

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May

Gardening Calendar

Bulbs

The growing season is fully upon us now. The soil temperature should now be warm enough to plant the summer bulbs. Spring flowering bulbs may be ready to be cut back, but it all depends on when they finished blooming. If the bloom period has been done for at least six weeks, cut away. Some of the later tulips may not yet be finished replenishing themselves, so let them grow as long as possible before the foliage dies back. Spring flowering bulbs can be left in the ground year-round, or you can lift and store them and then replant in the fall. Summer bulbs offer a lot of seasonal interest both in foliage and in flowers. Canna bulbs and elephant ears are perennials for us in Arkansas, but caladiums are annuals. They prefer warm growing conditions, and should kick in and grow quickly now. Other summer bulbs include tuberose, dahlia, crocosmia and gladiola.

Shrubs

Spring blooming shrubs should be pruned as needed after bloom. Some of our early spring blooming shrubs had a quick decline in their bloom period when the ice hit, while others took a hit from the dry conditions. Some folks have complained that their azaleas were not as pretty this year, and we have seen considerable dieback on plants that were not watered. Try to prune as soon as possible after bloom. With azaleas we prefer to do selective pruning, instead of shearing. Shearing cuts encourage all of the new growth to be at one level. What is preferred is a more full growth habit with foliage throughout the plant - and thus more flowers. Fertilize with an azalea fertilizer at the same time. This is also the month to be on the lookout for lacebug damage. Lacebugs begin their feeding in May on the underneath side of the leaves. At first you will see a few spots on the upper surface of the leaves. If left alone, there will be multiple generations and severe damage. It is too late for the preventative insecticides, but you can use Orthene now. Some spring blooming shrubs like deutzia or mock orange may still be blooming, so wait for flowering to end before pruning. We want to give them ample time to recover from pruning before the heat of summer hits and growth slows down. All spring blooming plants set their flower buds in late summer through early fall. By now all winter damage should be pruned off of your shrubs and new growth filling them back in. Many folks are going to have huge hydrangeas this season. Winter damaged plants lead to few to no flowers on Hydrangea macrophylla - the big blue and pink plants. In a season with no flowers they have rapid new growth. This would be a good time to thin out some excessive twigs. Do not prune any hydrangeas that were not winter damaged, as flowers should be intact and ready to bloom in a month.

Vegetables

Harvest season is beginning for the early cool season crops. We should have ample harvests of lettuce, greens, onions, broccoli and spinach. If you planted some of the early crops in January or early February they went through extreme temperature changes and are more susceptible to early bolting. Bolting is simply the process where they go into bloom earlier than normal. Once your onion plants form a flower stalk, their season is over - you will see no increase in bulb size. Many folks think they can cut these bloom stalks off and reverse the process, but that isn’t so. Harvest and use when you see them begin to bloom. Broccoli may also be setting smaller than normal heads. The weather is the culprit there as well. Many gardeners did replant some of the cool season crops in March and early April, and they should be fine. Dividing up your planting of the cool crops is a good idea in every season, as it extends your harvest period. May is the ideal time to plant all of the warm season veggies. From tomatoes and peppers to eggplant and okra, they should kick in and grow in the warm weather. Make sure you mulch your garden to conserve moisture and keep the weeds down. Hoe regularly to keep the weeds from taking over. Water early in the day to allow the moisture to get into the soil before the heat builds up. You will lose less water to evaporation and help to dry the foliage as quickly as possible. Watch for insects and diseases.

Fruits

Strawberry season is still going strong. Avoid fertilization of your strawberry beds until after you harvest. If you fertilize too early it can result in extra foliage which can lead to more fruit rots. More foliage means more shading of the fruit and cuts down on air circulation. Watch out for slugs which like the berries as much as we do. Mulching can help to keep the fruit cleaner, but it also tends to be a haven for slugs. Once your season is over, renovate the beds. This is something you need to do every year or your beds become a tangled mess of strawberry plants. This cuts down on production. Thin the beds back to the original plant spacing then fertilize.

Lawns

Winter weeds were a mess again this year. We had quite a few "blooming lawns". By now most of those weeds should be on their way out or gone until next winter. Try to do a good job of lawn maintenance this growing season. This is a great time to apply an application of slow release high nitrogen fertilizer. All lawns are really getting into prime growing mode now. Mow often enough so that your lawn doesn’t appear brown in between mowings. Water as needed. A thick, dense turf is less likely to have weed problems.

Container Gardens

All houseplants and tropical flowering plants can be safely moved outdoors this month. If your tropical plants have small containers or have been in the pot for more than one year, you may need to repot. They thrive in our humid, warm environment outdoors and can quickly get root bound. If there roots are constricted, they won’t put on much new top growth. If they don’t grow well, they won’t bloom as well in subsequent years. Hibiscus, mandevilla, and most other summer tropical bloomers, bloom on new growth. You want to encourage as much new growth as possible to have the best potential for blooms. Fertilize monthly and water as needed.


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University of Arkansas
Division of Agriculture
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Last Date Modified 10/20/2009
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University of Arkansas • Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
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Little Rock, Arkansas 72204 • USA
Phone (501) 671-2000 • Fax (501) 671-2209
 

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