Garden Mastery Tips
from Clark County Master Gardeners
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May 2008
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| GARDENING TASKS FOR MAY |
| ORNAMENTALS |
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Plant gladiolas, dahlias, and other summer bulbs. Set stakes for tall varieties at time of planting. See our April 2000 article Dahlia Success. |
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Remove suckers from roses, lilacs, and grafted ornamentals. Cut suckers off flush with the root system. |
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Fertilize rhododendrons and azaleas. Remove faded blooms. Prune plants to control size. |
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Tip-prune Euonymus hedges to encourage bushy growth. |
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Prune forsythia by removing no more than one third of the oldest main stems at the base.
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| EDIBLES |
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Fertilize blueberries with ammonium sulfate mid-May. The amount of fertilizer to apply depends on the age of the plants. See EB1640, Growing Small Fruits for the Home Garden, for recommended rates. |
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Hand-pick cabbage worms off cabbage family crops such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage or protect plants with row covers when planting. |
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Plant cucurbit (squash family) seeds. |
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Remove suckers from fruit trees by cutting them flush with the root system. |
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Direct-seed warm season vegetables after mid-month. Set out hardened-off tomatoes, peppers, kohlrabi, endive, and eggplant.
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| PEST AND DISEASE CONTROL |
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Control slugs. See EB0968, Slug Control. |
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Control brown rot on cherries, apricots, peaches, and plums. See EB1047E, Brown Rot of Stone Fruits, and EB0419, Crop Protection Guide for Tree Fruits in Washington. |
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Watch for spittlebugs, aphids, and slugs on strawberries. For information on control see EB1015, Insect & Disease Control for Home Gardens, Small Fruits and Berries.
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Garden Mastery Tips is brought to you by the Clark County Master Gardener Web Publishing Team – A. Beesing-Sparks, S. Bjordahl, E. Chase, S. Greenlee, F. Hammond, K. Jans, DJ Miles, N. Neumann, and M. Stauffer.
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Master Gardener |
Warning. Use pesticides with care. Apply them only to plants, animals, or sites listed on the label. When mixing and applying pesticides, follow all label precautions to protect yourself and others around you. It is a violation of the law to disregard label directions. If pesticides are spilled on skin or clothing, remove clothing and wash skin thoroughly. Store pesticides in their original containers and keep them out of the reach of children, pets, and livestock.
