2018 May Garden
Solutions
And while you are
enjoying your yard, and I hope that you are, here are some items to put onto
your gardening checklist. Begin planting
summer annuals to add color and spice to the landscape. And don’t just stop with the flower
beds. Container gardening is becoming a
trendy thing. The many choices, styles,
shapes and colors of containers make great accent pieces for inside or out. Let your imagination soar and express
yourself. Use imaginative containers you
pick up at flea markets and auction yards.
Learn to mix annuals and perennials for great combinations. Try hostas with begonias and impatiens….or
hydrangeas with groundcovers. These
containers can make great accent pieces on the front porch, the back deck, in a
flower bed, around the pool or at the end of the driveway. Containers aren’t just plain anymore!!!!
Take your
houseplants outdoors once the evening temperatures will remain above 50`. Gradually move sun loving plants (hibiscus,
gardenias, mandevillas, etc.) to sunny locations, as they have not had full sun
in your home and will need to be acclimated to those conditions.
Plant summer
bulbs now and fertilize with bone meal or bulb food. Pinch garden mums now till July 4th
to insure proper fall blooming. Treat
slugs in your garden with organic diatomaceous earth. This is a powder product,
100% safe and is good for the treatment of slugs, ants, fleas and ticks
outside, as well as roaches and ants indoors.
This organic product is very safe to use and good to have on hand.
Other insects to
watch for this month are pine sawflies, aphids, scale crawlers, cucumber
beetles, and grubs, to name a few.
Permethrin is the product on the market today that has replaced Diazinon
and Dursban, two popular insecticides.
Permethrin will work a large variety of insects on plants, in the soil
and in the home. It comes in many
formulations and strengths. See a professional
for questions of use of this product.
Sandi Hillermann McDonald
