May Garden Tasks

1. As the weather warms up, weeds start popping up daily. Take advantage of the free wood chips to line your paths and prevent weeds. Keep your beds as weed-free as possible in order to protect your soil and preserve its nutrients.

2. Tend your cool weather crops. Protect them from slugs and other pests. If your crops are devoured, reseed or replant your crops. Sluggo and beer traps are effective against slugs; you might need wire cages against rabbits or voles.

3. May is a great month to start planting your warm-weather crops. Traditionally, tomatoes and other hot weather-loving crops are planted outside after Mother's Day or the second week of May. The danger of frost has passed, and temperatures are in the 50s to 60s.

Here is a short list of plants you can direct sow: beans, carrots, beets, lettuce, and peas.

Here is a short list of warm weather plants to put out as starts: tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and basil. Wait until the middle of May for eggplant, melons, and peppers. If you provide these plants with extra heat, they will grow more quickly and produce fruits earlier.

4. Watch for pests and plant flowers or herbs to help attract beneficial insects such as predatory wasps. These helpful wasps are attracted to fennel flowers, dill flowers, and flowering herbs.

5. Most crops only need 1 to 1.5 inches of water a week. Check the weather report, and when in doubt, you can purchase a moisture meter OR dig down 1 inch into your soil and check for moisture below the surface.

6. The majority of crops will not need fertilizing at this time, once you see flowers and fruit, observe your plant's growth to see if fertilizer is warranted.