The Rutgers Cooperative Extension offers the following tips for people doing work on their lawn and garden this spring.
Bulbs
Start planting summer bulbs in May. Some favorites are gladiolus, dahlias, calla lilies, caladiums, alstroemeria, lilies, crocosmia and tuberous begonias.
Trees
It is best to plant while plants are still dormant so that the root system is not disrupted. Do not fertilize new trees. You can fertilize next year lightly. Never fertilize when the temperatures are above 85 degrees. First-year trees will need special care when the weather turns hot. You will want to provide deep watering every week unless we have a good rain. An established tree will need watering under drought conditions.
Perennials
The better you prepare the soil at planting, the better chance you have of your plant surviving. Include fertilizer in soil preparation process by mixing fertilizer in the soil you replace in the hole before planting your plant. Transplanting and division of summer and fall flower perennials can be done if necessary. Spring flowering perennials can be divided or cut back after flowering.
Vegetables
After May 15 you can plant your warm-season crops such as tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants. If you are transplanting seedlings from indoors, remember to harden off the plants before placing them directly in the garden. A side dressing of fertilizer is beneficial in the middle of the growing season. Water all transplants at planting. If you are direct seeding vegetables (cucumbers, zucchini, summer squash, green beans, etc) you will need to water daily until germination. Taper off watering after germination.
Lawns
After May 1, is it too late to do any seeding. Cool season grasses are growing rapidly and need to be mowed. Never cut below 3 inches. Grubs may be feeding, but you will have to wait until mid-July to August for effective treatment. Chinch bugs may be seen. Control in late May to early June. When using insecticides, remember to follow all directions on the label and be sure the product includes the insect on the label.
As with all of our gardening tips, contact our Master Gardener Helpline with any of your gardening questions at 609-625-0056.
Whether in an urban, suburban or rural landscape, tending the home or garden comes with a number of challenges involving insects, weeds, trees, shrubs, turf and critters. New Jersey residents spend significant time and money coping with these challenges, but not alone, thanks to the vast array of services offered by Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. Cooperative Extension, a unit of the experiment station, serves homeowners through factsheets, master gardener hotlines, workshops, and services that test soil and diagnose plant disease.
While extension personnel and master gardeners are on the frontlines providing information to residents, Rutgers researchers are working behind the scenes developing plant and turf varieties that are more resistant, drought tolerant, or environmentally friendly by requiring less input.
See http://njaes.rutgers.edu/garden/.
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