May Gardening Tips

Containers and Annual Plantings

v Our greenhouses are loaded! Come see us soon for some colourful annuals!

v Plant annuals out after Mother's Day. Remember to harden them off first by either moving them in at night for a couple of days or keeping them up close to your house for a couple of days before planting. This acclimatizes them so they are not shocked by the night time temperatures.

v Plant up tubs and baskets. Try something new! Our staff in the
greenhouses are more than happy to show you their favourites!

v Begin a fertilizing schedule for annuals and perennials in baskets,
tubs and beds.

Pond Care

v Clean out pond.

v Repot and/or divide pond plants.

v Choose new water lilies and pond plants now. May and early June are when we find the largest selection of pond plants are available.

Veggie Gardens

v May 24th is still the 'Old Gardeners' favourite for planting the
vegetable garden. Tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchinis, corn, beans and basil planted too early have no real advantage so don't be in to much of a hurry to move them outside.

v Apply manure or compost to rhubarb, strawberries, and veggie beds (remember to avoid manure where potatoes will be planted as manure can cause scab on potatoes.)

Borders and Flower Gardens

v Choose and plant summer flowering bulbs, roots, and tubers such as dahlias, lilies, hostas, canna lilies, gladiolas, and many more. These packaged bulbs and roots are a great value!

v Plant roses for gorgeous summer blooms. You can check out our
selection for this year on our roses page.

v Plant new trees, shrubs, roses, perennials, pansies, small fruits
and hardy herbs. Include bonemeal, peat moss and manure or
your own compost when planting and don't forget to water new transplants frequently.

v Feed your garden. We stock a large selection of organic
fertilizers which we know you will love! Fertilizing can be easy too!
Our bulk 'Organic Mix ' Fertilizer is great for just about everything
and is available in a large sack or by the pound.

v Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Heather, Camellias, hedges and other acid loving plants can be fertilized with 'Miracid' or 'Ever Acid' for lovely deep green foliage and for the acidifying that they need.

v Compost or manure can be added to flower beds now.

v Prune early bloomers such as Forsythia after blooming.

v Trim back perennials that have bloomed.

v Hold off trimming down bulbs such as Tulips and Daffodils until the foliage is yellowing as this process is feeding the bulb for next
Spring.

v Dead head Rhododendrons and Azaleas as they finish blooming.

v Weed flower beds.

Lawn Care

v Control moss in lawns with Ferrous Sulphate (Iron) if moss is a
problem. You will need two days of dry weather after it has been
applied.

v Thatch lawn to remove thatch in older lawns and dead moss in lawns
recently treated with moss control. (10 days after moss control.)

v Lime lawns in preparation for fertilizing about two weeks later.

v Feed lawn with a good quality Spring fertilizer.

v Pull dandelions and other weeds from lawn before they flower.

v Seed new lawns and fertilize with Turf Starter 15-30-10.

Whew! You're finished... sit back and enjoy
the feeling of a job well done!

Vegetable Seed
Starting Dates

February -
l Plant seeds for broad beans and radish in the garden, and celery, leeks, sweet onions, parsley and peppers indoors.
l Chance an early sowing of peas; if you get lucky it is definitely worth it!

March -
l Plant seeds for broad beans, corn salad, kale and collards, oriental greens, peas and radish in the garden. Seeds for broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, fennel, leeks, lettuce, parsley, peppers and tomatoes should be started indoors.

April -
l Plant early potatoes after the middle of the month.
l Plant seeds for beets, carrots, cilantro, endive, radicchio, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, storage and green onions, oriental greens, parsnip, peas, radish, spinach and Swiss chard in the garden.
l Start cauliflower, eggplant and melons indoors.
l Transplant broccoli and sweet onions out into the garden after hardening off first.

May -
l Plant seeds for beans, beets, broccoli, carrots, cilantro, corn, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, green onions, oriental greens, parsnips, spinach, Swiss chard, and turnips in the garden.
l Start late cabbage indoors.
l Transplant to garden artichoke, early cabbage, cauliflower, celery and fennel.
l Transplant pumpkin, squash, and tomatoes after the 24th of May if the evening temperatures are not too cold.

June -
lPlant beans beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts, early cabbage, carrots, cilantro, corn, cucumbers, kale, leeks, lettuce, greens onions, parsnips, peas (2nd sowings), rutabagas, spinach, Swiss chard, and turnips into the garden.
l Transplant eggplant, melons and peppers.

July -
lThis is the time to start your fall planting winter crops such as; endive, lettuce, green onions, oriental greens, cress, beets, Swiss chard, brussel sprouts and corn salad.

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may
Old Time is still a flying
and this same flower that smiles today
Tomorrow will be dying

Robert Herrick