VEGETABLES
- Asparagus - To help plants establish strong root systems do not harvest spears the first year. Begin lightly harvesting the second year, and work up to a six- to eight-week harvest by the fourth year.
- Plan your vegetable garden on paper. Keep the plan from year to year so you can plan crop rotations.
- Use row cover to prevent cabbageworms. Check cabbage family crops regularly.
- Spindly tomato plants can be planted deep as they will form roots on the buried stem. Remove leaves that will be below the soil.
- Make sure fall planted garlic is well mulched to keep competing weeds away.
- Avoid working the soil when wet. Consider using the no-till method to help manage the garden soil.
- Incorporate lime and phosphate according to soil test recommendations.
ORNAMENTALS
- To invigorate or rearrange daffodils, the bulbs can be moved now. Dig deep to avoid damaging the bulb. Keep the leaves and roots intact and replant at the original depth.
- Do not remove leaves from bulbs until they have turned brown.
- Prune spring flowering shrubs soon after flowers fade. Using thinning cuts near the ground and remove the thickest, oldest stems with the fewest flowers.
- Mulch is the best tool for maintaining soil moisture and reducing weeds in the landscape. Maintain a total depth of 3-4 inches, including the old layer of mulch.
- It is safe to move houseplants outdoors for the summer once nighttime temperatures are above 50 degrees. Initially place them in the shade, moving to brighter light allowing them to acclimate.
- Bagworms will be hatching, an excellent opportunity for treatment with Bt.
PRUNING TECHNIQUES SERIES PROVIDES THE WHAT, WHY and WHEN OF PRUNING ORNAMENTALS
FRUIT
- Keep weeds out of the strawberry bed and put straw mulch around plants.
- When moving or planting strawberries make sure to cover the roots until the crown (where the leaves arise) is just above the soil surface.
- Fruit trees may set a good crop. Too many fruit on the tree is not a good thing. Thin apples, pears and peaches to about 6 inches apart when the fruit is the size of a nickel.
- Prune fruit trees selectively to allow light and air to circulate and keep plants dry and reduce fruit and foliage diseases. Begin fungicide sprays, especially on peaches, plums and grapes.
CHECK OUT COMPREHENSIVE RESOURCES FOR FRUIT TREES
LAWNS
- Maintain mowing height for fescue lawns at 2.5 to 3 inches.
- Mow frequently enough to remove no more than 1/3 of the grass blade at a time, cool season grasses 3 inches high. Try not to mow when grass is wet to avoid spreading disease.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE TIMING OF MAINTAINING TALL FESCUE LAWNS
- Look to late summer early fall for additional over seeding or renovation projects.
- Pull broadleaf (non-grass) weeds before they spread, spot treat with broadleaf herbicide if necessary. Plant diversity in the lawn can be OK.
- DO NOT fertilize cool-season lawns (fescue and bluegrass). Nitrogen applied this late is an invitation for brown patch fungus disease in June.
- Let the lawn and let flowers bloom to help newly emerged native bees find nectar sources! Read more about NO MOW MAY! and learn how mowing less benefits EVERYONE.
