While May can still have some cold nights, days can get quite warm. Don’t let the cold fool you! Start planting. Use row covers to protect your sensitive plants from late frosts and to extend your growing season. Consider Native and drought tolerant species that will thrive in the high desert. Consider plants like penstemon, juniper, and lavender. May is a good time to plant heat-loving vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants, provided they are given enough water and mulch. Keep reading for more helpful tips!

Plant Doctor Quips

Moana Lane Plant Doctor, Michael Roth, says, “What a wonderful time of year to be sharing the enthusiasm of having a vegetable garden.  If you have any spring crops, start harvesting them regularly to promote further production. For example, collecting herbs, leafy greens, and early radishes can continue to stimulate new growth and yield. Maybe you have a bountiful crop of Collard Greens and your neighbor has more beans than they expected.  When you share produce with your neighbors, everyone comes out winning.”

Our South Virginia Plant Doctor, Steve Packer says, “Keep your garden tidy by removing any debris, fallen leaves, or dead plants that could harbor pests or diseases. Check your garden tools and irrigation systems to ensure they are functioning correctly as the growing season ramps up. If you want to add more beauty to your neighborhood and create more neighborly goodwill, offer to plant a colorful perennial or two in your neighbors yard so that you both can enjoy them!  It’s always a win-win situation.“

Our Moana Lane plant doctor, Jon Bruyn, says, “In May, our pollinators wake up in mass and become very active. Plant species that they enjoy to attract them to your yard. Consider planting varieties that will bloom when you need pollination. Fruit trees bloom in spring, so a spring-blooming plant would help with them. Summer vegetables bloom in the early and mid-summer so a similar corresponding bloom time for perennials and shrubs in your yard will attract bees and butterflies to your yard.  During these times, we also need to be cautious of insecticide use. Most insecticides kill indiscriminately so we need to be very careful about what we are spraying and how they work so we don’t inadvertently kill all of our pollinators.“

Our Pyramid Way Plant Doctor, Jeni Lowery says, “May is our abundant rose month, come in and check out our wide range of beautiful roses that we get in just in time for Mother’s Day. You can spoil yourself and Mom with a brand new pair of leather rose pruning gloves to make the gift complete. We also have some incredible blooming fertilizer from Fertilome to make your neighbors jealous.”

Bird Nerd, Lisa Braginton explains, “This is a perfect time of year to be out and about in the garden and in nature. Tap into all the great things that connecting with the natural world does for our well-being. Activities like gardening, tending to plants, and feeding the birds can help lower blood pressure and make us feel more relaxed, as well as yielding healthful harvests, beauty, and the satisfaction of knowing that you are benefitting local bird populations. It’s also the perfect month to add a jewel to your landscape by placing a beautiful hummingbird feeder and inviting these delightful birds to visit!“

MAY
Moana Nursery High Desert Gardening
Timely Tips

  • Apply 3 inches of G&B Organics Soil Building Conditioner or Purely Compost around plants to conserve moisture, moderate soil temperatures, and reduce weeds. Keep mulch 3” away from trunks of trees and plants. 
  • Very important:  remove tree stakes and ties from trees & shrubs planted a year ago or longer.
  • Knock back suckers and sprouts from roots around ornamental and fruit trees with Bonide Sucker Punch.  Use the brush top applicator while pruning out water shoots from plum trees.
  • Prevent nuisance fruit on ornamental trees & shrubs with Monterey Florel® Brand Growth Regulator.
  • Continue to inspect trees and shrubs for insect and disease problems; treat immediately with appropriate product.
  • Prune spring-flowering shrubs (forsythia, lilacs, quince, almond, viburnum, magnolias, rhododendrons, azaleas) immediately after they bloom. 
  • Gently pull off dried flowers of azaleas and rhododendrons, taking care not to break sticky, new shoots located at the base of the flowers. This is a great time to fertilize with G&B Organics Rhododendron, Azalea & Camellia Fertilizer and mulch with G&B Organics Acid Planting Mix.
  • When pruning mugo pines, break off half of each elongated bud (candle) by hand to maintain compact form. 
  • Continue to plant new perennials, ornamental grasses & roses. Consider new plantings for birds and pollinators. 
  • Stake tall perennials before they reach 6 inches.
  • Begin to regularly pinch back fall-blooming perennials – mums, asters & tall sedums; pinch weekly until mid-July to promote stocky growth.
  • Remove dead vines and begin to direct new growth onto their supports. Encourage climbing roses to develop lateral, flower-bearing canes.
  • Deadhead (remove blooms) spring bulbs once they’ve finished flowering but allow foliage to wither completely before removing.
  • Stake peonies to support blooms when they reach 10” in height.
  • Plant summer bulbs like dahlias, gladiolus and lilies with G&B Organics Bud & Bloom 
  • Treat emerging lily shoots and other plants with Plantskydd if rabbits and deer have been a problem.
  • Monitor all annual plantings in containers and window boxes.  On windy days, hanging baskets will require water every day.
  • If earwigs have shown themselves, get ahead of them with Bonide Bug & Slug Killer.
  • Gradually move houseplants outside to protected areas.  Place large house plants potted in plastic into larger, heavier pots to keep them from falling over in the wind.  Do not expose to afternoon sun.  Monitor regularly for pests.
  • Use G&B Organics Worm-Gro as a natural insecticide.  Make a little room on top of the roots to top dress with a thin layer of worm castings, then a layer of G&B Organics Blue Ribbon Potting Mix and water in.  This benefits plants by increasing resistance to insects and disease and increases water retention for potted plants.
  • Prune and fertilize overwintered tender plants like hibiscus, gardenia & geranium with G&B Organics Bud & Bloom Fertilizer; take outside once night temps are 40° or warmer.
  • Move citrus trees (Meyer’s lemon, etc.) outside when night-time temperatures are above 45°.  Fertilize with G&B Organic Citrus & Fruit Tree Fertilizer.
  • Continue to feed houseplants remaining indoors monthly with Fertilome Houseplant Hero Fertilizer according to the directions, adding SUPERthrive (1 drop per cup or ÂĽ tsp. per gallon of water) every time you water.
  • Begin to harden off warm-season transplants, moving them into a shaded area for 14 days and gradually increasing their exposure to direct sun.  Bring them in at night if the temperatures fall below 40°. Once properly hardened, they can be transplanted to the garden, usually by mid-May. 
  • Spread several inches of G&B Organics Purely Compost or G&B Organics Harvest Supreme on vegetable and herb beds. Use as a mulch and/or continue to use as an amendment while you are still planting. For increased resistance to pests add a layer of G&B Organics Worm-Gro under the mulch and a handful to every new planting.
  • Place codling moth traps in apple trees now – 1 per tree in an easily accessible location.  When trap reveals several moths, spray tree with Captain Jack’s Deadbug Brew. Since codling moths produce up to 4 generations (one every 6 weeks), it’s important to install a new trap and repeat spraying every 6 weeks for continued fruit protection.
  • Plant corn, tomatoes, snap beans, summer squash and herbs with G&B Organics Starter Fertilizer.
  • Hummingbirds have arrived & orioles will begin appearing any day.  Now’s the time to put out oranges and grape jelly for orioles and WBU Hummingbird and Oriole Nectar for both hummingbirds and orioles.  Be sure to change the sugar water every few days so it doesn’t spoil.
  • Continue to supply fresh water and change it every 3-5 days to keep it clean.  To prevent the chance of disease, clean birdbath weekly with a weak bleach solution and rinse well. 
  • Install a customized Wild Birds Unlimited bird feeding station where you can easily watch the birds it attracts.  It can be installed in the ground or on a deck.
  • Are you seeing young bird families or nesting behavior?  We can help identify birds in your yard if you have a question and help make your yard the place for them to be!
  • Offer Nesting Blend; WBU Bark Butter, Cake or Bits; Peanut Butter n’Jelly Suet Dough and mealworms to provide the extra calcium & protein needed during nesting and molting season.
  • Clean all bird feeders with hot soapy water and a bleach solution of 1-part bleach to 10 parts water.  Rinse and thoroughly dry before refilling.  Feeders should be cleaned and bleached every 2-3 months to prevent disease from spreading and to keep feeders in good condition. 

Feederscape Consultation
If you want our expert help setting up a feeding station at your home or business schedule a consultation today. Our Bird Nerd will help you make your landscape a refuge for birds and humans alike. 

Our Seasonal Color Team can help you with custom containers, annual planting beds or a simple refresh of your existing garden. Schedule a free consultation today! 

Need help with your indoor plants? Contact our Interior Plant Services team. They can help you design, install, and maintain your indoor plants! Want a WOW plant presentation? Ask about installing a LIVING PLANT WALL! Examples of plant walls are available to see at both our Moana Lane and Pyramid Way locations.