A long cool spring and more showers and cool weather predicted for May. The upside is the blooms last longer. Henry Road and Oak Street roundabouts look fabulous.
Make Mom happy on May 8 with a flowering shrub or maybe a rose. Celebrate Victoria Day May 23.
DO IT NOW TIPS
Divide primroses
All general plantings take place this month, flowers, veggies and new perennials
Clean up and fertilize rhodos and azaleas after flowering
Plant up your hanging baskets, patio tubs and planters
Colour your hydrangeas – saltpeter for pink, alum for blue
Use straw as a mulch along strawberry rows
Lawns are growing fast – feed a little but often – a thick turf needs less water
Spread wood ash around daphne, lilac, clematis and roses
Lightly cut back early blooming perennials after flowering
Keep the slugs at bay
DID YOU KNOW …
… flea beetles are small, shiny and common pests that make irregular holes in many vegetable and nightshade crops. Severe damage can result in wilted or stunted plants. Adult beetles are very small (3 mm). They have long back legs which allow them to jump readily. They can be black, brown, grey or striped. It is easier to identify the signs of their damage than the beetles themselves. Flea beetles can spread bacterial disease such as blight from plant to plant. In leafy crops such as lettuce and spinach the holes bring down the quality of the leaves. To control, use a home made solution of 2/3 cup rubbing alcohol, 1 2/3 cups water and one teaspoon of liquid soap. Spray test a leafed stem overnight to detect side effects, if nothing is detected spray the rest of the plant. Other solutions are to dust leaves with plain talcum or spread coffee grounds around roots and nearby.
PICK OF THE MONTH
False Forget-Me-Not (brunnera macrophylla). Perennials with large heart shaped leaves and pretty sprays of bright blue flowers in spring. Long lasting blooms beginning in early to mid-spring. The flowers are followed by large heart shaped long stalked leaves which reach their full size after the flowers have faded. The foliage has a rough, hairy texture and can reach up to six inches across. The dense foliage remains attractive during the growing season. Part shade to full shade. Thrive in organically rich, moist and well drained soils. They are deer and rabbit resistant and easy to care for.
AND …
What do you get if you cross a sheepdog with a rose? A collie-flower!!
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