May is such a lovely time of the year. Late spring flowers are showing colour and early summer blooms are starting to poke through. It is the perfect time to get out in nature and get inspired by the beauty and colour of everything.
1. Garden Tasks
The battle against ravenous gastropods rages on. All these slugs and snails are out to demolish any and all tasty plants that stand in their way. Stay in control of these pesky peskersons before they reproduce and devour your whole garden.
In the same vein, continue being vigilant about weeds. Weeds compete with your wanted plants for water, light, and nutrients. If left to their own devices, weeds will overtake your garden and reign supreme.
As the temperature heats up, water becomes a hot commodity. It becomes even more precious when annual water restrictions come into effect. Giving your plants a thorough watering once or twice a week is much better than watering lightly more often. You can also look into alternative water irrigation systems and olla pots (like Vancouver-based, GrowOya).
2. Ornamentals
Lots of summer bedding plants are available at your local garden centres and nurseries. Find your favourite snapdragons, petunias, geraniums and fuchsias on shelves this month. In addition to planting up your garden beds, plant containers and hanging baskets to add extra oomph and colour through the summer months. You may need to do some simple maintenance on some of your ornamental plants, like deadheading, just to keep everything neat and clean.
3. Edibles
Strawberries! Plant them anywhere and everywhere! In the ground, in plants, in hanging baskets. If you have problems with birds enjoying your delicious fruits without you, try using netting around your plants.
Continue planting any veggies that you haven’t yet planted from last month’s list. Now, you can also start planting warm season crops, like tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers.