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May
Lawns:
Now is the time to plant
Bermuda, centipede, St. Augustine and zoysia grasses in areas of the
Carolina where these grasses thrive. Established warm-season lawns can
be fertilized in early May.
Annuals:
Keep early-planted salvia,
marigolds, snapdragons, celosia, petunias and zinnias flowering all
season long, pinch off flowers right after they begin to fade. Pinching
these plants back will also encourage side-branching, thus more blooms.
Prepare plants now for dry
weather. Use a thin layer of mulch 2-4 inched of pine straw, wood chips,
or shredded leaves to conserve water in the soil for use by the plant.
Perennials &
Bulbs:
Add spring-like color to
the summer and fall gardens by planting such tender warm-season bulbs as
gladiolus, caladiums, cannas and dahlias.
Fast-climbing clematis should
be pruned and trained to prevent it from becoming an unmanageable mess.
Don't be in a hurry to pull out
plants damaged by last winter's cold. Wait another month. Even if the
top appears dead, you may see signs of life returning from the soil
surface. Even when killed to the ground, plants with established root
systems grow quickly and often overtake newly planted ones.
Prune wisteria now and
throughout the summer to control six and shape and for a few blooms
throughout the season.
Trees &
Shrubs:
Azaleas, climbing roses,
camelias, and rhododendrons can be pruned after they have finished
blooming.
Azalea leaf gall shows up now.
It is not too destructive-just pick off the leaves and burn them to
prevent spread of the leaf gall.
Fertilize crape myrtles with
one cup of 8-8-8per plant to get abundant summer bloom throughout the
summer months.
Roses
Cutting a rose - The removal of
too much wood and foliage can seriously weaken your roses, especially
during the first year. Leave 2-3 well-developed leaves between the cut
and the main stem.
Vegetables &
Herbs
Heat loving vegetables such as
corn, cucumbers, okra, squash, peppers, snap beans, eggplant and
watermelon can all be safely planted.
A five inch mulch around
tomatoes and peppers now will help prevent blossom end rot later.
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