May 2021

Garden Maintenance

• Welcome pollinators to your Lawn with No Mow May!

• Remove dead leaves from flower and vegetable beds.

When can I clean up my garden…and still protect beneficial insects? – Biocontrol Bytes, NYSIPM

• Divide perennials so they have more space to grow.  Give extras to family and friends.

• Last chance to transplant deciduous trees and shrubs.

• Plant summer flowering bulbs like dahlias, gladiolas, and lilies.

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  Remove flowerheads after lilac bloom.

• Plant a cutting garden to create beautiful flower arrangements all summer long.

WORKSHOP: Growing and Selecting Flowers for Floral Arrangements –  Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County

• Remove emerging weeds before they take over your garden.

• Consider using container gardening to beautify your home, create a privacy screen and/or grow vegetables and herbs.

WORKSHOP: Creating Beautiful Container Gardens – Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County

Pest Watch

• Do  a daily tick check!

Get your ticks tested for free! – Upstate Medical University

• Watch out for snails and slugs in the garden.

• Be on the look out for spotted lanternfly nymphs.

Spotted Lanternfly Look-alikes – Virginia Cooperative Extension

• Scout your stone fruit trees(i.e. cherry, peach, plum, etc.) for black knot.

• Scout for and remover tent caterpillar webs.

Vegetable Gardening

• Install supports for climbing vegetables such as peas and beans before planting seeds

• Seed or transplant hardy vegetables such as kale, beets, peas, radishes, chard and carrots.

Vegetable Planing Guide – Cornell Cooperative Extension

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  Harden-off seedlings before planting them to reduce transplant shock.

• Plant potatoes.

• Transplant warm weather vegetables and tender annuals after the last frost.

Patience is a Virtue in Planting Outdoors – Times Herald-Record

• Review your crop rotation plan in the vegetable garden.

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Play out in the rain!