Keep these tips in mind for May gardening

April 24, 2014

Keep these tips in mind for May gardening

Ray Ridlin

Thu Apr 24, 2014, 05:43 PM CDT

OKLA. CITY —
Here are a few things to keep in mind as you head into your May gardening routine. Keep ahead of the weeds. We are always happy for the rain, but wet ground can keep us out of the garden and that allows weeds to grow by leaps and bounds. Now is the time to guard tender plants such as tomatoes, eggplant and peppers against sudden late frosts. During the first part of May you may be planting beans, early corn, okra and late potatoes. You also may be replacing tomato plants lost to late frosts. Finish setting out cabbage, lettuce, cauliflower, beets, etc.

Here are some things to do:

• Pine needle disease treatments are needed in mid-May.

• Cool-season lawns can be fertilized again. If you did not fertilize cool-season grasses in March and April, do so now.

• Warm-season lawns may be fertilized again in May.

• Seeding of warm-season grasses such as bermudagrass, buffalograss, zoysiagrass, and centipegrass is best performed in mid-May through the end of June. Soil temperatures are warm enough for germination and an adequate growing season is present to promote winter hardiness.

• Dollar spot disease of lawns can first become visible in mid-May. Make certain fertilizer applications have been adequate before every applying a fungicide.

• Nutsedge plants become visible during this month. Post emergent treatments are best applied for the first time this month. Make certain warm-season grasses have completed green-up. A good indicator is to wait until after the Forsythia blooms.

• The second application of pre-emergent annual grass herbicides can be applied in late-May or early June depending upon timing of first application. Check label for details.

• Vegetative establishment of warm-season grasses can continue.

• Annual bedding plants can be set out for summer color.

• Soak new transplants and newly planted trees unless rainfall is abundant.