May Garden Guide

Lawn Care

Fertilize this month, before the summer heat.

Apply a fast release (Gill Lawn & Garden 13-1-3) or slow release fertilizer (Green Diamond 21-7-14) to your lawn and water in well, approximately 30 minutes per area.

Organic: Milorganite, Medina Growin’ Green

Prevent broad leaf weeds.

Use: Hi Yield Weed Control with Dimension or Fertilome Broadleaf Weed Control with Gallery

Plant new grass.

Lay new sod or Bermuda seed anytime this month – plan to make time for watering!

Follow city watering guidelines.

Continue watering established lawns if we don’t have rain.

Read: City Watering Guidelines – Water Only Once a Week, Pick Your Day

Fix yellow spots.

Apply Hi-Yield Iron Plus to yellow spots in lawn.

Organic: Green Sand or Nature’s Blend

Plant

Sunny areas:

Zinnias, periwinkles, moss rose, purslane, lantana, blue daze, false heather, salvia, ice plant, gomphrena, ruellia, coreopsis, pentas

Zinnias

Moss Rose

Blue Daze

Lantana

Shady areas:

Caladiums, coleus, begonias, ageratum, shrimp plant, torenia, agapanthus, snowbush.

Caladiums

Coleus

Shrimp Plant

Agapanthus

Seeds:

Morning glory, moonflower, zinnias, sunflowers, gomphrena.

Gomphrena

Morning Glory

Zinnia

Sunflower

All container grown hardy and tropical trees, shrubs, vines, grasses, groundcover, and citrus trees.

Read: Fruit Trees and Citrus in Your Own Backyard

Indoor Plants

Read: Plants, the Perfect Rx for Clean Air

Fertilize

All granular fertilizer should be watered in well.

Tomato & Pepper Plants

Fertilize regularly with High Yield 21-0-0 (ammonium sulfate) or Miracle Gro for Tomatoes. Organic: Rose Glo or Hasta Gro, Plant Tone, or Medina Growin' Green.

Annuals & Perennials

Use Miracle Gro or Osmocote Time Release Granules. Organic: Medina Growin' Green, Rose Glo or Plant Tone, or Hasta Gro.

Azaleas, Magnolias, Gardenias

Use Azalea Food or Miracle Gro ACR for Acid Loving Plants. Organic: Maestro Gro-Rose Glo, Green Sand, or Espoma Azalea Food.

Roses

Use Bayer Rose & Flower Care. Organic: Maestro Gro-Rose Glo.

Hibiscus & Tropical Bloomers

Use Hibiscus Food. Organic: Maestro Gro-Rose Glo.

Trees & Shrubs

Use Gill Lawn & Garden Fertilizer, Green Diamond Supreme Lawn Food. Organic: Milorganite, Medina Growin' Green.

Prune

All early spring bloomers if not already done, such as azaleas, indian hawthorn and carolina jessamine.
Trim hedges as needed to maintain good form.
Poinsettias to approximately 12” tall.

Watch Out For

Mealy Bug Damage

Powdery Mildew

Fungus, Powdery Mildew

Use Broad Spectrum Fungicide.

Organic: Neem Oil, or Serenade.

Grub Worms

Use Bayer Complete, Spectracide Trazicide, Season Long Grub Control.

Spider Mites

Use Cyonara, Spectracide Triazicide, Bonide Systemic

Organic: Neem Oil, Spinosad

Lace Bugs on Lantana

Use Cyonara.

Read: Lacebugs on Lantana

Chinch Bugs

Use Spectracide Triazicide, Bayer Complete Insect Control liquid or granule, Cyonara

Organic: Diatomaceous Earth, or Spinosad

Read: Check For Chinch Bugs If Your Lawn Looks Dry Even Though You Know It’s Not!

Mealy Bugs

Use Spectracide Triazicide, Cyonara, or Bonide Systemic

Organic: Neem Oil, or Insecticidal Soap

Read: Mealy Bugs are Here

Fleas & Ticks

Use Cyonara, Spectracide Triazicide.

Organic: Spinosad, Diatomaceous Earth

Read: Got Fleas?

Water

When watering during periods of windy dry conditions, it’s important to water slow and deep. Be sure to watch the spray of your sprinkler and adjust accordingly with the wind

Water all plants well after planting and regularly through the first year. Plants will begin to use more water as they grow and bloom. Outdoor potted plants dry out quickly as do hanging baskets and small annuals.

Mulch

Apply mulch around trees, flowerbeds and vegetable gardens to reduce weeds and help retain moisture. We like cypress, hardwood and pinestraw mulch. These reduce weeds well and will not float away.

Pine Straw Mulch

Cypress Mulch

Hardwood Mulch