Our gardens are in full swing now or at least ready to be filled with plants! As with last month, regular maintenance and care is required for those plants you have already put in the earth or potted. This is the month that when planted; they take off really fast due to such warm temperatures.

What to Plant

May is a great month for planting new trees and shrubs. Use Gardner Bloome Worm-Gro when planting. Use DeWitt 12-year Weed Barrier Landscape Fabric to prevent weeds from coming up in your garden beds.

Plant irises, canned roses, tropicals and tuberoses

Continue to plant dahlias, begonias–and get in the gladiolus bulbs. Add some Dr. Earth Bone Meal to the planting hole for great root development and beautiful blooms!

Prepare to plant a giant pumpkin in early June for Halloween.

Transplant potted bulbs into the ground.

Plant zinnias, morning glories and other heat loving flowers. Replace cool-season bedding flowers with summer-season flowers.

Plant warm-season lawns such as Tigreen Hybrid Bermuda or Performance St. Augustine.  

Plant vegetables and herbs — It’s time to plant warm-season crops like tomatoes, squash, peppers, sweet potatoes, cucumbers, melons, okra and corn. Also plant basil, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary and thyme and other heat-lovers. Consider using Superthrive for healthier, fast growing plants. Superthrive is excellent for reducing transplant shock and reviving stressed plants. You can also plant a pumpkin this month or wait until June.

Plant seeds or seedlings for corn, green beans, melons, squash, cucumbers, okra, sweet potatoes and other heat-lovers. We carry a large selection of Quality STOVER seeds and Do Rights Vegetable, Herb and Flower Packs.

Continue to purchase, plant, and transplant succulents.

Purchase epiphyllums.

Plant petunias. Pinch them back when you plant them.

Viewer Gallery: Spring blooms around San Diego

Upload photos of your garden

Harvest Time

Harvest your summer vegetables as soon as they are ready. Don’t let them rot and drop to the ground. This can bring insects and disease. See the Grangetto’s harvest guide.

Feeding and Maintenance

Lawns

Fertilize both cool season (fescue) and warm season (Bermuda St. Augustine) lawns using Grangetto’s exclusive formulas from Best – Iron Supreme 16-4-4 (a fast acting fertilizer with 3 percent iron for a deep green which lasts up to 8 weeks) or Best Turf Plus 24-4-4 (a slow release fertilizer which lasts for up to 12 weeks for a longer green and less mowing! ). For those Organic Gardeners use Dr. Earth Super Natural Lawn Fertilizer Is an excellent organic option to keep your lawn healthy.  For convenience in small areas use a Hand-Held spreader. For larger areas use a Broadcast Spreader.

Mow cool season lawns long and warm season lawns short.

Plants, Trees and Shrubs

BENEFICIAL INSECTS – Beneficial insects such as the almost microscopic parasitic wasps, praymantis, ladybugs, etc. keep other insect pests away from your vegetable gardens by eating aphids, scale, and other annoying intruders. You can use beautiful flowers to tempt these garden friends into your garden. Try putting some of these flowers near to your rose garden for aphid control!

VEGETABLES – Keep planting warm season crops.  Stop watering onions and garlic grown for bulbs when leaves being to turn yellow. Dig bulbs when tops have fallen over and place in a shady, well ventilated area to cure. Fertilizer warm season crops to promote growth. Try Dr. Earth Tomato and Vegetable Food. Fertilize peppers when flowers first show. Check for pests. Use a pest control product made for use on vegetables. Continue to tie up and sucker tomatoes.

HERBS – Pull out spend winter annuals such calendula. Prune back perennial herbs like rosemary. Continue to harvest Yerba mansa, mint, elderberry flowers and lavender blossoms.

FRUIT TREES VINES – Continue to feed avocado and citrus trees. Use a good all around fertilizer such as Dr. Earth Fruit Tree Fertilizer or contact us to learn of other conventional and organic fertilizers that will fit your growing needs best!  Check citrus for pests and diseases. Irrigate as needed to maintain adequate soil moisture. Apply enough water to wet the soil at least two feet deep. Only apply water about 3 inches deep in loam soil.  Watch for chlorosis on your citrus. This yellowing of the leaves between the veins is a sign of iron deficiency for the plant. Feed with a good iron supplement such as Ironite Mineral Supplement.

Wash fruit trees periodically with a forceful spray of water to remove dust, honeydew and pests like aphids, whiteflies and spider mites. Control ants. Use Tanglefoot or AntPro Liquid Bait and Bait Stations.

DECIDUOUS FRUIT – Continue to thin out fruit on apples, pears and stone fruits when they are about one-half inch in size.  Space fruit four to six inches apart. Leave one fruit per spur.

ROSES – Deadhead stems and canes when blooms are spent. Deadheading fading flower blossoms will keep your garden neater and flowering better longer. Water well as heat increases. Roses need one inch of water twice a week during the warm season. Potted roses need even more. Spray wash the bushes with water daily in the early morning to control powdery mildew or spray with a fungicide according the label directions.  Watch for Blossom rot; a fungus that shows up as red spots on white and yellow petals and brown spots on petals of other colors.  Remove affected blooms.  

Feed roses based on the recommended schedule for your chosen fertilizer. Some good options are Dr. Earth Rose Flower Food, Gro Power Flower N’ Bloom orBayer Advanced combination control Rose Foods.

BEGONIAS – Check tuberous begonias to repot or add fresh soil. Stake if needed. Wash insects off with water. Pinch back once or twice and fertilize for more blooms and bushier canes.

FUCHSIAS – Continue to water regularly.  Use a liquid fertilizer when watering during their growth period (April through September).  Stop pinching back fuchsias. Remove berries (seed pods) from fuchsias after flowers fall.

CAMELLIAS – Feed your camellias as part of your annual fertilizer program. A good schedule of feeding is three times a year. March should have been your first feeding. Feed again in May and again in July. The rule of thumb is to feed camellias six to eight weeks after the last blooms fall. Feed again six to eight weeks later, then one more feeding six to eight weeks after the last. Continue using the fertilizer of your choice. Suggestions are a pre-made mix such as Dr. Earth or Lilly Miller Camellia and Azalea Food. They like acid food. Watch for aphids and hose them off with a spray of water. Keep well watered, but not soggy. Prune unwanted new growth.

TROPICALS – Continue with a fertilizer schedule for your tropical plants. Tropicals do best when feed during the growing season (spring through fall). This will depend on your schedule and type of fertilizer used. We suggest with Gro-Power Premium Palm Tropical Plant Food 9-3-9 or Apex 13-4-12 Palm K. Remove only dead and dying foliage from date palms

CACTUS SUCCULENTS – Feed all container-grown succulents with a well-diluted complete liquid fertilizer such as Shultz 10-15-10 Plant Food. Water well. Make sure drainage is good in all container plants. Now is the for winter/spring growers such as aeoniums, dudleys and senecios. Take cuttings for propagation.

DAHLIAS – Feed dahlias with a balanced nitrogen fertilizer. Spray as necessary to control insects. Watch for leaf miners, thrips and aphids. Try using a systemic. If spraying, use a weak solution on new foliage. Water when top of soil is dry. Soak deeply and often when buds are forming. Pinch out center of plants when two or three sets of leaves have developed. Plant tubers now when soil is warm. Tubers should be planted four to six inches down and planted with “eye” up. Stake at this time. Keep moist but not too wet. Protect from harsh sun. Protect from snails and slugs.

PELARGONIUMS – Avoid pruning or cutting. Remove dead or damaged leaves to prevent molds and fungus. Watch for geranium rust. Use Immunox to treat. Immunox is a non-sulfur based product. Keep the soil moist and the foliage dry.  Fertilize with an all purpose plant food every two to -three weeks. Protect against whitefly, budworm and aphids. Use a product that contains both an insecticide and fungicide.

ORCHIDS – Protect plants from sun damage as temperatures start to rise. Finish repotting. Be sure to soak first this late in the season. Water more as plants increase their growth rate. Bring some indoor plants outside for the summer.  Watch and protect from insect infestations. Divide and repot cymbidiums that have outgrown their containers. Cut off bloom spikes from cymbidiums after flowers fade.

EPIPHYLLUMS – Prune plants to shape. Plant cuttings after they flower. Bait for snails and slugs. Use horticultural oil for scale. Keep soil damp. Protect from hot summer sun.

IRIS – Prepare beds for planting. Work in humus, soil sulfur and decomposed manure. Allow cut surfaces of rhizomes to dry and be exposed to sunlight before planting or give a light dusting of soil sulfur.

BROMELIADS – Water throughout the summer by spraying. Bromeliads absorb moisture and nutrients through their leaves. They do not like soggy roots so don’t over-water. Be sure to protect from sun. Use shade-cloth for protection if needed.

PLUMERIA – Potted plumeria should be moved from protected areas to full sun. Continue fertilizing with a low nitrogen fertilizer such as Gro Power Flower N’ Bloome 3-12-12. Plant new or repot plants to replace old soil with a fresh mix. Use one-half cactus mix such as Kellogg Palm Cactus Mix and one-fourth perlite and one-fourth Worm Gold Max. Keep soil at the same level as before.

FERNS – Divide and mount staghorn ferns. Remove old dead fronds. Keep humidity up. Most ferns are starting full growth now. Water frequently and fertilize with half-strength, slow release fertilizer such as Dr. Earth Palm Tropical.

IRON DEFICIENCY? – Many have asked us what is causing yellowing in the leaves of their citrus, camellias, and gardenias. Iron deficiency. Do the leaves near the top of the plant have green veins but yellow in between the veins? Time for either a foliar spray or a soil drench such as Grow More Iron Chelate or Ironite Mineral Supplement. This will help return those leaves to green!

TREES SHRUBS – Continue your fertilizer routine. There are many products available in both organic and conventional style feeding.  Continue to prune your ornamental shrubs for hedges.

PRUNE – Prune winter and spring-flowering vines, shrubs, trees and ground covers after they finish blooming.

NATIVE PLANTS – Most native plants can go three to four weeks between watering, but Riparian natives need to be watered once or twice a week. Wash the dust off shrubs and trees once a month. Harvest wildflower seeds. Pull out wildflowers after they dry. Keep planting at a minimum until fall. If you do plant, make sure to water 3 – 5 times for most new plantings. Then they can generally make it with little water through summer.

ATTRACT BIRDS – Attract a variety of birds to your yard with KAYTEE Brand Bird Seed and bird feeders. Place some hummingbird feeders around your yard to keep them coming back. Then relax and listen to the birds.

MULCH, MULCH, MULCH – If you haven’t already, apply a layer of mulch on flower beds and around trees and shrubs 2-3 inches around the base of plants. It reduces weeds, conserves moisture, and prevents disease. Great stuff!

Watering

Reset your irrigation timer to water more frequently as the weather starts to warm up. Adjust as needed if we get adequate rain fall.

Water gardens – Check irrigation systems. Fix clogs and broken sprinklers. Adjust spray heads. Begin watering as weather warms. Apply a fresh layer of organic mulch to conserve moisture.

Apply at least one inch of water twice per week to keep roses well hydrated.

Taper off watering those California native plants that do not accept summer water. Most native plants can go three to four weeks between watering, but Riparian natives need to be watered once or twice a week. Also make sure to water three to five times for most new plantings. Then they can generally make it with little water through summer.

As the weather becomes drier, keep up with watering. Even highly drought-tolerant plants need irrigation. Water large cacti, for example, once a month and agave and yuccas every three weeks. Be sure to water most garden plants regularly. Try using a Rain Wand for easy watering. Pair it with a Gilmour Flexogen Hose for maximum kink resistance.

Water lawns – Check irrigation systems. Fix clogs and broken sprinklers. Adjust spray heads. Begin watering if weather warms but only after soil has partially dried. Check with your local water department or cooperative extension service for lawn watering guidelines.

Now is a perfect time to start planning on how you are going to save water in your landscape, if you haven’t already.  Installing or retrofitting an existing irrigation system to utilize the most up-to-date technology will help you save water. Here are some water saving devices

Did you know that you could SAVE up to 30 percent on Your WATER BILL? Consider replacing old irrigation systems with updated water efficient weather based systems from HUNTER Irrigation. Replace your old outdated nozzles with HUNTER MP Rotators.

Be sure to follow your local watering restrictions and guidelines

Pests to Watch For

Control indoor and outdoor pests – To control insects like spiders, fleas and ants, use Spectracide Triazicide Once Done, which provides up to 12 months of insect protection. It controls insects in lawns around homes so they don’t come inside.

Animals – Warmer weather brings out animals such as skunks, raccoons and opossums.  Trap them with Havahart Traps.  We carry a large supply and they are very effective.

Squirrels – Use Havahart Traps, Protecta Bait Stations, Wilco Squirrel Bait and Station or Squirrelinator Multi-Trap.

Control mosquitoes – Use Mosquito Dunks in ponds or standing water to help control mosquitoes.

Rabbits – protect your vegetables and herbs from foraging rabbits! Use Rabbit Scram Repellent to keep rabbits away. This repellent is natural and organic and works as a barrier so it never has to touch your plants.

Snails Slugs – Use Organic Gro Power Slug N Snail, Organic Sluggo Plus, Original Sluggo or Corry’s Snail Slug Meal or Pellets.

Aphids – Control aphids with insecticidal soap and beneficial insects.  Safer Insect Killing soap is a good organic choice.

Thrips – Wash foliage with water from a garden hose. For stronger infestations use Bayer Advanced Tree and shrub Insect Control. This is a systemic that gives 12 months of control.

Coddling moth larvae – Spray walnuts with Sevin when nuts are about the size of a nickel and again three weeks later to control coddling moth larvae.

Scale – Use Lilly Miller Superior Type Spray Oil or Ortho Volck Oil Spray to control crawlers. 

Lawn pests – Use Bayer Multi-Insect Killer or Spectracide Triazicide

Vegetable Pests – Use Green Light Lawn Garden Spray with Spinosad or Dr. Earth Fruit Tree Vegetable Spray.

Juniper moths – Spray junipers and Italian cypress for juniper moths.

Rats Mice – Use Just One Bite Rodent Bait.

Gophers – Use Wilco Gopher Getter or Cooke Quick Action Gopher Mix to rid your yard of gophers. Use ZP Bait in and around garden beds.

Caterpillars – Use Safer Caterpillar Killer, Monterey Garden Insect Spray or Green Light Lawn Garden Spray with Spinosad. Look these pests on your broccoli and cabbage.

Rose Pests – Use Bayer All-in-One Rose Flower Care, Bayer 3-in-1 Insect Disease and Mite Control or Green Light Rose Defense (organic).

Powdery Mildew – Especially near the coast, this is the time we begin to see powdery mildew on our rose foliage (and other plants too). There are several different foliar fungicidal sprays to that can help.  Consider Bayer Insect Disease and Mite Control or Ortho Rose Pride are good conventional use products. Use Monterey E-Rase for organic growing.

Powdery Mildew on Grapes – Apply a sulfur spray such as Safer Garden Fungicide.

Fruit Tree Pests – Use Monterey Garden Insect Spray to combat caterpillars and other listed pests on fruit trees, vegetables and ornamentals. It is OMRI listed for Organic Use too. For synthetic control use Bayer Fruit, Citrus and Vegetable Insect Control.

Lawn Weeds – To control weeds in lawns while giving them a good feeding use Lilly Miller Ultra Green 28-2-3 Weed Feed.

Weeds – Use Bonide Crabgrass Preventer or Bayer Season Long Weed Control in lawns. Use Green Light Amaze in ornamentals flower beds.  For non-selective areas, use Roundup or QuickPro products. Be sure to use a good sprayer such as Hudson Sprayers. DeWitt Weed Barrier Landscape Fabric prevents weeds without chemicals. It still allows air, water and nutrients to go through. Lay this fabric down before planting your gardens.

For more green thumb advice, check out Grangetto’s in the Gardening section of the 10News.com Marketplace.

Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

This is a good time of the year to repair grass damage. These spots of dead grass could be caused by grubs, last year’s drought, or a few other reasons. Mark Torregrossa 

Now is a good time to repair any dead areas in your lawn.

There are dead areas showing now. The causes can be numerous, but the big two are grub damage and drought kill from last year’s hot summer.

You definitely want to get those dead areas covered with grass. If you don’t plant and grow grass in those dead areas, weeds will grow there.

The best way to avoid weeds is thick, healthy grass.

So here are some tips to succeed in repairing the dead areas in your lawn.

First you have to decide if the dead areas are large enough that you need to replant your entire lawn.

Here I’m going to deal with just the splotchy areas of dead lawn, like in the picture above.

The video I shot shows you all of the steps.

First, you need to get some soil exposed so the grass seed can get into the soil.

Even in dead spots, there may be dead grass that will prevent the new seed from getting into the soil.

View full sizeUse a hard tine rake or cultivator to break up the dead grass and loosen up the soilMark Torregrossa 

So get in there with a straight tine rake or a forked cultivator like I’m showing.

Use some elbow grease, break up the old grass layer, and loosen about an inch or two of soil.

You don’t need to work the soil deep, like you would when planting flower or vegetable transplants.

Just loosen the soil enough so the small, new roots of the baby grass plant will be able to grow down into the soil.

View full sizeThe quality and mix of seed is important. The cheaper seed will have more weed seeds in it.Mark Torregrossa 

What type of seed?

This is one detail that is important.

The cheaper the seed, the more weed seeds that will be in the mixture. And the varieties of grass may not be the most attractive.

Having said that, if you have the normal “mixed grasses” lawn, a general mix of a few ryegrass, bluebrass, and fescue varieties will do the trick.

If you are really picky about your lawn, you better try to match the type of grass.

Generally, if it’s a very nice lawn, it’s a bluegrass lawn.

It could also be a very uniform, fine fescue lawn. Those blades would be real fine and generally in a more shady lawn.

If you are concerned about the type of grass, take some to your favorite golf course. They always know about grass types.

How much seed?

You want to plant enough seed so when it germinates it covers the bare soil.

How much is a hard thing to explain. Watch the above video if you can to get a good idea.

Otherwise, cover the soil about 50 percent with seed.

If you don’t get enough on it, the new grass will spread. So don’t sweat it too much.

View full sizeA very important step is how deep to cover the grass seed. Don’t cover it much at all. In fact, I just very lightly rake over the seed so it has contact with the soil.Mark Torregrossa 

Most important – covering the seed

If you fail, it will probably be because of how you covered the seed.

The seed needs to be in contact with the soil, and planted VERY shallow.

You don’t really cover the seed with soil. You just lightly rake it into the top one-quarter inch of soil.

Yes, that is shallow. It means no pressure on the rake, and just drag it across the soil.

Watering the seed

This is real important too.

The soil doesn’t need to be soaked, but rather just kept moist.

That usually means watering briefly with a nozzle on your hose, or five to ten minutes with a sprinkler.

Do that a few times a day to keep the soil moist.

A quick watering before you go to work, and a quick watering after you get home should do it.

It will take 7 to 21 days for seed to sprout. Stick with the watering and don’t give up unless you don’t see any grass within three weeks.

After the grass sprouts

Stick with the often and light watering even after you see grass germinate. You still have more seed to germinate. Bluegrass seed will take up to 21 days to germinate.

After you are satisfied with the amount of germination, change your watering to a deeper, less frequent schedule.

In other words, water longer but only every other day.

Keep the grass watered into summer. The roots are tiny until next fall, and will dry out quickly.

It’s a downer when you get good germination, and then the grass dries out and dies.

Also, you can’t spray the new grass areas with broadleaf weed killer until you’ve mowed the new grass four times.

If you have any lawn questions, ask me here!

---

Mark Torregrossa has been the Chief Meteorologist for three television news stations in Michigan. A resident of the state for 20 years, he is also a master gardener and avid hunter. Email him at mark@farmerweather.com and find him on Facebook at facebook.com/mark.torregrossa and Twitter @weathermanmark

 

 

Planning

When purchasing bedding annuals this spring, choose properly grown plants with good color. Buy plants

with well-developed root systems that are vigorous, but not too large for their pots, and lots if unopened

buds. Plants that bloom in the pack are often root bound and can be set back for several weeks after

being transplanted. Plants not yet in bloom will actually bloom sooner, be better established and grow

faster.

 

Plan to attract hummingbirds to your garden this year by planting red or orange flowers. Monarda

(beebalm) is a good perennial to provide nectar for these small birds.

For hot-weather color, select one of the following: Gloriosa Daisy, Madagascar Periwinkle, Ornamental

Peppers, Mexican Zinnia or Amaranthus ‘Joseph’s Coat.’ Plant only after all danger of frost is past and

plan for color until winter arrives.

Make a plot layout of your flower borders. This is an essential, but often neglected task. With an accurate

plot plan, you will know where to locate the spring flowering bulbs you plant next fall. Also, it will make

your spring and summer gardening easier. You will be able to correctly identify the plants in your border

and plan for continuous blooming by setting young annuals between bulbs and early flowering perennials

after their blooms have faded.

 

Planting

Begin to plant seedlings of warm-season vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants. You can

also start your pumpkin seeds now

Sow beets, beans, cucumbers, carrots, lettuce, sweet corn and radishes

Plant herbs such as thyme, sage, parsley, chives and basil

Sod or sow new lawns, and overseed damaged older lawns

Start planting out warm season annuals such as impatiens, marigolds, petunias, sunflowers, zinnia,

lobelia, allysum

Finish planting summer-flowering bulbs like tuberose, gladiolus, dahlias, and callas

Plant chervil, coriander, dill, rosemary, and summer savory outside after the last spring frost date for your

area. Your Extension agent should be able to give you the date.

Now is a good time to start a cactus garden. Cacti may be started from seeds or from cuttings.

 

The cool weather of April is perfect for pansies.

 

Plant dahlia tubers as soon as the danger of frost is passed. Stake at the time of planting to avoid injury

to tubers.

Plant clematis in locations that receive at least six hours of sunshine a day. Use an organic mulch or

ground cover to shade roots and keep them cool. Plant in rich, well-drained loam.

Hydrangea is one gift plant that transplants well into the garden after its flowers fade. When the weather

warms, plant in well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. Don’t be surprised if the next year’s flowers

are a different color than the first year. Blue or pink hydrangea color is dependent on the pH of the soil.

Alkaline soil produces pink flowers; acidic soil produces blue flowers. White hydrangeas are not affected

by soil pH.

 

Many gardeners plant annual and perennial flowers to attract hummingbirds. Woody plants can also be

added to the yard to provide nectar for our smallest native birds. Some common trees visited by

hummingbirds are buckeye, horse chestnut, catalpa, apple, crabapple, hawthorn, silk tree, redbud and

tulip poplar. Shrubs include azalea, beauty bush, coralberry, honeysuckle, lilac, New Jersey tea, Siberian

pea shrub and red weigela.

 

Maintenance

Frost tender plants such as citrus, fuchsia, geranium, hibiscus, mandevilla, and bougainvillea can go

outdoors when all chance of frost is gone

Start feeding potted plants every two to three weeks with half-strength liquid fertilizer

If plants like citrus, camellias, gardenias, and grapes are chlorotic (have yellowing between green leaf

veins), spray leaves with a foliar fertilizer containing chelated iron

Mulch soil to save water, smother weeds, keep soil cooler. Spread 1-3 inches (2.5-7cm) of bark chips,

compost, wood shavings, or other organic material under shrubs trees, annuals and vegetables.

 

Thin vegetables that were sown too thickly, like basil, carrots, green onions, or lettuce

Prune spring-flowering shrubs and trees after bloom is over

Fertilize everything right now, but do not feed spring-flowering shrubs like azaleas, camellias, and

rhododendrons until after they have finished flowering. Use an acid based fertilizer. They also should be

pruned after blooming

Now is also the time to divide mint, chive, tarragon, and creeping thyme.

Control lawn weeds now through late May before they get large.

 

The lawn mower blade should always be sharp so as not to tear the grass. If you sharpen the blade at

home, be sure to balance it, too. Place the center hole of the blade on a screwdriver handle held upright

in the vise. Check to see if it balances. If not, sharpen the heavier side some more until the blade

balances on the handle.

 

Lawn grasses do best if mowed at the correct height: For mowing heights and specific information about

specific Grass Types go to our website: www.weekendgardener.net/grass-types/main.htm

 

To determine if soil is ready to work, squeeze a handful into a tight ball, then, break the ball apart with

your fingers. If the ball of soil readily crumbles in your fingers, the soil is ready to be worked. If the soil

stays balled, however, it is still too wet to work. Use this test in another week to determine if the soil is

ready to be worked.

 

Lift, divide, and replant chrysanthemums as soon as new shoots appear. Each rooted shoot or clump will

develop into a fine plant for late summer bloom. Pinch out the top when the plants are about 4 inches (10

cm) high to thicken the plant.

Don’t throw out the little gladiolus cormlets you dug out with the larger corms last fall. Plant them in a row

in the garden this spring, and in two years, they will reach blooming size.

When iris leaves appear thin and limp, check for borers. These grub-like insects can ruin an entire

planting if not detected and eradicated early.

April is a good time to clean up plants and flower beds. Pick out dead leaves and twigs and prune dead

limbs.

Label the clumps of daffodils that are too crowded, as overcrowding inhibits blooming. Dig up and

separate in July.

Cut flower stalks back to the ground on daffodils, hyacinths and other spring flowering bulbs as the

flowers fade. Do not cut the foliage until it dies naturally. The leaves are necessary to produce strong

bulbs capable of reflowering.

 

Buy a hose-end shut-off valve; these are available separately or as part of a watering wand. This allows

you to turn off the hose as you move around the yard. Also, when you are through watering, you can shut

off the water immediately, rather than let the hose run while you hurry to turn off the main spigot.

Once new growth begins on trees and shrubs, cut back to green wood any twigs affected by winter kill.

 

Weed and Pest Control

Keep and eye out for aphids and get them before they take over your plants Use either a strong stream of

water or use safer soap products. Keep after the slugs and snails! Read How To Organically Control Snails and Slugs – go to our website:www.weekendgardener.net/how-to/snails-slugs.htm

www.gardenfest2013.com

 

The Watershed Post’s News from Local Businesses column carries news from local businesses in our directory. Visit this business’s page:

TORONTO, Ont. – Gardeners unite! Your time has come.

While the calendar has shown spring for the past five weeks, the weather hasn’t been anything like it – until this weekend.

With temperatures forecast in the upper teens – the warmest temperatures in 2013 yet – accompanied by plenty of sunshine, gardeners will be getting their green thumbs ready.

“I’m going to do some planting outside here. I’m going to put down some topsoil,” one man told 680News, out for a stroll near Yonge and Bloor.

“I do a little bit of a vegetable garden, some flowers,” said another man.

However, an expert says, certain species should not be planted, just yet.

“Anything that deals with frost or cold soil temperatures – and what I mean by that is anything that could suffer from severe frost, so we have things like tomatoes, pepper plants,” City’s Frankie Flowers tells 680News.

Good vegetable crops to begin growing at this time of year include carrots, radishes or spinach. As for flowers, Frankie recommends pansies for some colour inspiration, and hanging plants which can be brought indoors on chilly nights.

It’s also a good time of year to put down grass seed.

But before planting, a clean-up is a must.

“Any broken branches, you take care of any of that. Any debris sitting around the garden – get rid of it. Any annuals from last year that have died,” Frankie says, but be careful.

“Some plants that bloom in spring – like a lilac -if you prune them right now, goodbye to your blooms. They’re gone.”

And don’t forget to fix the dirt.

“Remember your garden’s only as good as the soil it grows in.”

Wish you could find a disease- resistant rose in just the right shade of pink?

Make one.

Joseph Tychonievich leads readers through the process of breeding new plant varieties in “Plant Breeding for the Home Gardener: How to Create Unique Vegetables Flowers.”

Tychonievich, an avid plant breeder and a garden center nursery manager, encourages his readers to try developing breeds that are suited to their climates and their needs, not the needs of a commercial breeder. He instructs them on cross pollination and selecting out the best offspring, teaches advanced breeding techniques and a little genetics, and offers instructions for specific plants.

“Plant Breeding for the Home Gardener” is published by Timber Press and sells for $19.95 in paperback.

· Organic lawn-care system delivered to doorstep: The makers of Safer lawn and garden products are making it easier for do-it-yourselfers to treat their lawns organically.

The company is marketing a four-step organic lawn-care program that’s shipped free to the user. The system involves three applications of a slow-release fertilizer and one application of a weed preventer.

The fertilizer, Ringer Lawn Restore, is made of ingredients including poultry feather meal, bone meal and soybean meal but no manure. It contains no phosphorus, which is often found in excess in soil and can run off into waterways.

The weed preventer, Concern Weed Prevention Plus, is based on corn gluten meal. A soil thermometer

is included so users can apply the preventer at the correct soil temperature.

The system costs $250 at www.sendmesafer.com, but it’s on sale this spring and summer for $199.99.

· Repairing a DVD: Q: I have a DVD that jumps and stops at a certain point. It appears to have some scratches. How can I get rid of them?

A: Try cleaning the DVD first. Netflix says you can use Windex and a paper towel, although I’d probably use a soft cloth. Wipe in straight lines from the center to the outer edge, not in a circular motion.

If the DVD still gives you trouble, try working a little toothpaste or wax into the scratches, or use a liquid made for repairing CDs and DVDs, the technology website Digital Trends recommends. Use several thin layers, and let the disc dry a little while. Then buff it lightly, again working in straight lines from the center to the edge.