Publication Date: Friday, May 06, 2005
Garden tips for May
Garden tips for May
(May 06, 2005) 'Tis the season for garden tours
May is the perfect time for catching up on detail work. There are garden tours all over the state and the excitement they generate for gardening is great. You can really improve your gardening skills this month by simply doing some homework, going to a garden tour or two and getting out and doing some clean up and planting.
Here are the tips:
1. Visit a good book store and stock up on the latest in gardening magazines, idea books and how-to journals. I like Kepler's in Menlo Park and Printer's Ink in Mountain View. I have even been known to spend time in the big name stores. If you need help finding a book, you can get it right there. And you can see what you are getting before buying.
2. Go on at least one garden tour this month. Find the contact information in the local paper, at nurseries and by calling your local garden club. Do a Google search under California Garden Clubs. Seeing other gardens is one of the best ways to get ideas for your garden.
3. Be sure to keep up with your garden journal. Note wildflowers in bloom (this year is one in a hundred), how the rain has effected your garden, what works and what does not.
4. Do some detail work in your garden every day. Even if it is simply taking your cup of coffee or tea for a walk to see how everything is doing. You will be amazed how a few minutes a day will reduce your weeds, stimulate you to cultivate and give you ideas for new plantings.
5. Fertilize this month. Spring gets everything started but you need to help your plants along through the summer. The rains are tapering off so growth will be directly dependent on you. After you fertilize go to number 6.
6. Water regularly. Even if it is raining for a whole day, the water only soaks in four or five inches. You need it to soak in 10 to 18 inches. This also facilitates the fertilizer you put on in tip 5 to get to the roots.
7. In past May tips columns I would give you flowering plant lists. This year I am going to make you work. Go to the nursery and see what is in stock. Read the latest magazine articles on new plant favorites and buy or order them. Ask your gardener to bring you something for your flower beds that is new and different. This is one way that great gardens are developed.
8. Throw a garden party. The weather will be great, the roses in bloom and your guests will love having a good excuse to visit you. It will also be good incentive to detail your garden.
9. Dead head flowering plants as they finish their show. Dead heading is removing spent flowers and sometimes trimming back the plant to stimulate new bloom. You will be amazed at how regular dead heading makes the garden look fresh.
10. Keep planting vegetables if you have the space. Set out plants of corn, beans, eggplant, squash, melons, tomatoes, chard, lettuce, table greens, radishes, carrots, beets and herbs.
Good gardening.
Jack McKinnon worked in the Sunset Magazine gardens for 12 years and has been a private garden coach for seven years. He can be reached at (650) 879-3261, or by e-mail at jcmckinnon@earthlink.net.
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