What Are May Garden Tasks?
How Does Your Garden Grow?
May is when the garden really takes off. Get ready to roll up your sleeves, get plants growing, and enjoy some of the best gardening weather of the year.
Plant It Now!
Finish getting warm‑season veggies in the ground. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash, cucumbers, melon, corn, and beans all thrive when planted in May while the soil is warming up.
Houseplant Check-In
As light and heat increase, plants may need a bit more water. Check soil moisture regularly with your finger or a soil probe, and water when needed rather than sticking to a set schedule.
Blooming Baskets
Plant hanging baskets before summer heat arrives. Hanging baskets can add a bold pop of color in both sunny and shady areas, while placing flowers right where pollinators like butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees can easily find them.
Lawn Care
Tune-up your lawn. Mow a little higher to protect
roots, keep blades sharp, and spot‑treat weeds before they set seed.
roots, keep blades sharp, and spot‑treat weeds before they set seed.
Fruit Trees
Thin your fruit trees. If branches are loaded, remove excess young fruit so the remaining fruit can grow larger, sweeter, and healthier, while preventing stressed or broken limbs.
Welcome Birds
Clean and refill bird feeders, especially hummingbird feeders, to attract birds that help with pollination and keep pesky insects like aphids in check while adding life and movement to your garden.
Other Timely Tasks for May
- Water smarter, not more. As temperatures rise, switch to deeper, less frequent watering and give your irrigation system a quick tune‑up by checking for leaks, clogged emitters, and proper coverage.
- Plant perennials for the heat. It’s the perfect time to add warm‑weather favorites like trailing lantana, million bells, verbena, bacopa, fan flower, and lavender.
- Plant herbs. Warm soil helps herbs establish quickly, giving you fresh flavor for cooking, fragrant foliage for the garden, and blooms that attract beneficial pollinators all season long.
- Refresh your color beds and pots. It’s the perfect time to plant summer annuals like marigolds, petunias, lobelia, zinnia, cosmos, impatiens, vinca and alyssum to add instant color for the season.
- Houseplant pest patrol. As temperatures warm, keep an eye out for spider mites, aphids, and fungus gnats. If you have questions, check in with one of our houseplant gurus.
- Mulch madness. Apply 2”–3” of organic mulch or compost to lock in moisture and protect healthy soil life. Keep mulch a few inches away from tree trunks and plant crowns to avoid rot.
