Of course, I can't blame being behind the times all on the weather. There was my cataract surgery and recovery...then came the 12 days away from home when we went to Louisville...and then I spent the past week attending the NCEMGVA Conference in Winston-Salem. And while I was learning more about gardening (but not actually gardening), the weather flipped straight into Summer...91 today. Double sigh.
I did want to share some of the fruits of our labors with you. Here's a picture of our first cutting of broccoli, along with some asparagus.
We had cut some yesterday to grill along with some salmon steaks, so the pickings appear slim; still, the 4-year old asparagus bed is yielding more than enough for the two of us. Out in the Raised Beds, our lettuces (red and green romaine, along with Buttercrunch and Red Sails) look fabulous, and our spinach is quite healthy and productive. We probably have enough onions to supply a small restaurant, because I am trialing using onions extensively in the (red) cabbage bed to help reduce the number of cabbage worms. Seems to be working well. And the carrots and peas are finally joining the party. So, the cool season crops are doing well, even with their slow start to 2014.
But I'm almost embarrassed to report we haven't put in a single Warm Season transplant or seeded a single crop in the Row Garden yet...and it's almost Mother's Day. Triple sigh.
Time to get down to business! Here's what's on our 'To Do' List for May*:
Kitchen Garden:
· May 1st is the beginning of the recommended planting time for bush lima beans (through July 1st), okra (through May 31st), and both sweet and hot peppers (through May 31st ). May 15th marks the date to begin planting sweet potatoes (through June 15th). I've got my work cut out for me, don't I?
· I'll also be planting pole beans (through July 1st), cantaloupe/muskmelons (through June 1st), sweet corn (through June 1st), cucumbers (through May 15th), pumpkins (through June 15th), summer and winter squash (through May 15th), tomato plants (through July 15th), and watermelons (through June 1st).
· When setting out tomato plants, we set up stakes or cages so we won’t disturb the roots later. I try to remove any suckers to encourage the plant’s energy be used for larger fruit rather than side shoots, and I remove all branches below the first flowers to encourage a string central stem...and to discourage pests. (I always attempt to root the suckers; many times I'm lucky and get a freebie tomato!)
· We'll be planting beans (pole and bush) and corn, make successive plantings every two weeks to ensure a longer harvest. I did get some English-style runner beans and some Kentucky Wonder pole beans planted around the tuteur last weekend. We will need to set up a bean "fence" in Row #3 this year (factoring in crop rotation, by moving everything one row east each year...alaman right!) to provide support for the main crop of Kentucky Wonders.
· I've started seeds and hope to plant basil and dill directly in the garden this month. I took cuttings of mint and divisions of chives from Missy M's herb garden, and I want to get them settled into their new abodes here in HPNC.
Orchard and Berry Patch:
· I will fertilize the blueberries, blackberries, and grapes this month. All are looking healthy and show signs of a great year...fingers crossed! Read more about it in the NC Cooperative Extension publication Grapes and Berries for the Garden.
· I'll need to spray the fruit trees with the first spray after fruit set. Sadly, the extremely cold winter and the late freeze on April 14-16 probably means a rather anemic crop. There will be no pears or plums, and few peaches and apples...if the squirrels don't get them again this year. The only heavy fruit-set has occurred on the crabapples.
Rose Garden (and perennials and annuals):
· To prevent black spot and control pests on roses, I will use the 6-week systemic 3-in-1 variety. The latest research says NOT to remove black spot infected leaves UNTIL you don't see anymore green...thereby giving your rose bush all the help it needs in continuing to produce chlorophyll.
· We will prepare a couple new beds for summer annuals such as petunias, marigolds, and zinnias...possibly by the fence, so there will be a good backdrop.
- Additionally, on our list is to document all the roses we lost to weather this year. I already know about the following: 3 Always and Forever, 2 Cinnamon Girls, 2 First Prizes, and one each Kordes Perfecta and Pope John Paul. We also had to remove my absolute all-time favorite floribunda, Mardi Gras, which was showing signs of rose rosette disease (which is always fatal). Here's what it looked like in years past:
Flowers, Shrubs, and Trees in the Front and Back yard gardens:
· It’s time to plant summer-flowering bulbs, especially caladiums and gladioli. I already have some glads coming up that seem to have made it through the winter we had. We shall see...
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| Our rhodo in full bloom in early May. Time to fertilize and prune after blooming. |
· We (read this 'we' as Mr. T) need to remove broadleaf weeds from all landscape planting areas. If left to grow, they will rob water and nutrients from our plants, and they make the gardens look so untidy in any photos. He is a weeder-fanatic, so naturally I encourage him to play to his strengths!
Lawns and Grasses
· According to the Home Lawn Calendar for May from the Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research and Education at NC State, we need to mow tall fescue lawns at 3 to 3 ½”, and at least once each week. This article also encourages grasscycling, which is the practice of leaving grass clippings on the lawn. “Grass clippings decompose quickly and can provide up to 25 percent of the lawn's fertilizer needs.” We actually use the clippings from the Way Back (around the Orchard and the Berry Patch) to "feed" the compost piles. Good as gold!
· Since lawns need 1 to 1 ¼ inches of water per week, it's time to get the irrigation system going for the year.
Other
- We will take some time to enjoy the butterflies, honeybees, and hummingbirds! As you know, I love taking loads of photos!! To try to keep our property productive as well as pretty...and to protect these beautiful creatures...if I need to use a pesticide, I use Neem Oil, which is marketed as an Organic spray. Still, it is still toxic to bees...so I don't spray in the morning when bees are most active.
- We have moved all the plants that wintered on the plasticized screen porch out to their summer spots, including the three citrus trees. The Improved Meyer Lemon and the Orange trees are both flowering profusely, while the lemon tree I started from seeds from a lemon from my Aunt's house in Arizona still hasn't flowered...but is beautiful and green nonetheless. We have moved this big tree in its container across state lines a couple of times now, so it's with us to stay no matter.
- After incorporating the finished compost into our garden, we began a new compost batch in our barrel. I hope to get a worm or two or ten working this time, so must remember to feed and water the pile regularly.
Remember, May is Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Awareness Month. Before you dash outside to your May gardening activities, put on a hat, sunglasses, and adequate sunscreen protection. Well, I can say with certainty that I get two out of the three!
Happy hoeing!
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* This May To Do List is updated and revised from an article I had published on GoGreenTriad.com in 2011.
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* This May To Do List is updated and revised from an article I had published on GoGreenTriad.com in 2011.
