MAYis the joyous calendar month of the year , when onetime and young are work in their garden . perennial are now coming into bloom , but the various bulbous flowers are put forth every effort to distract our aid from their fair babe . The unwise annuals are growing , train for their profusion of bloom , command the fact that other plants are economize some strength for another class ; The wildflowers of the woods are hastening to blossom for concern they will not complete their duties before the leave-taking of the trees shade them .
The North
Parrot Tulips , with their brilliant cherry - and - yellowish blooms and their peculiar petal , never fail to attract attention .
Dwarf Irisare in full blossom . Remember that you’re able to get them in much all the colors worn by their marvellous cousins , the German Iris . The Dwarf Iris are a much - neglected but merit mathematical group of plants .
Dahlias , either from cuttings or tuber , may be plant as soon as all danger of frost is retiring . All dahlias prefer a fairly lax , well - cultivate soil . Be sure to train them to a single theme .
Peatmosscomes in alkaline as well as acerbic form , altho the acid is the most mutual . It may be well to ascertain which you are getting , especially if you are using it for rhododendrons and other acid - dirt plant life .
Stakingis important for many magniloquent - rise flower , such as delphinium and Helenium , and for vegetables , such as tomatoes . Order these stakes early and place them before the works start to stop in the confidential information . Do not draw the bow too tightly to the stakes or they will be injure when they enlarge thru outgrowth .
It is much practiced to make the initial draw upon the wager and then bind the plant to it . This prevents slipping of the plant , and also allows one to more gracefully coiffure the shoots .
Bedding plant life
It is now safe to set out plants purchased from florists , such as verbenas , geraniums , and co - leu , and all other bedding plants .
Evergreensthat are balled and bur - lapped can be planted before they start into combat-ready growth .
melt off
Sweet Peas often sprout up too thickly , and better result will come after lose weight them so that they are 6 or 8 inches aside in the row . This also applies to most of the annuals which we sow in earlier , most of which will produce splendid symmetrical plants if they are make sufficient space ; for good example , Sweet Alyssum , zinnias , marigolds , poppy , and phlox should be at least 1 invertebrate foot apart , altho for most of them 2 foot would cause still better specimen plants . Cosmos should be planted 3 feet apart . A in force symmetrical plant is more beautiful than an overcrowded , leggy specimen .
Lawns
In starting to cut down the lawn , be sure that it is not edit too short , as it is well to grant the Mary Jane to make sufficient growth to manufacture its food for thought .
Roses
start spray roses with a Bordeaux wine - mix or rubble with Massey dust .
Biennialsare industrial plant that dwell two years . The seed is sown one yr and the plant life flower the next , after which they expire . Now is the meter to sow in the seeds of such vulgar biennial as Canterbury - bell , foxgloves , and hollyhock . They will not flower this year but will make bad , substantial plant .
House plantswill be much better off for the summer if the can are buried in the ground so the surface of the ground is even with the top of the pot . They should be placed on the north side of the sign beneath a tree .
Broadleaf evergreen , such as the rhododendron , wad - bay wreath , and Andromeda , should be generously mulched with peatmoss or leafmold .
Thebagwormis becoming more serious each class because of want of any great exertion to control it . Thoro spray with arsenate of lead as soon as the insect begins feeding will soon effectuate controller . It helps a swell plenty to hand - cull these bagworms unless the tree diagram are too tall .
Tender waterliliesmay be placed in the pool .
Fishshould be put in every lily pool as soon as possible to take in the early crop of mosquitoes .
Red spider , which is injurious to many plants , especially to arborvitae , may be controlled .
Mostannual flowersmay still be seed this month . Even the tenderest annuals can be inseminate after May 15 .
The West Coast
Plant chrysanthemumsnow to replace beds of annual which are thru their best bloom .
seminal fluid
retain to sow in vegetable ejaculate and annual in open ground .
Garden and the Lawn
The tenacious dry go is about due , so keep up watering the garden and lawn . Also keep up cultivating .
Tithonias , sometimes called Mexican - helianthus , grow 5 to 6 ft tall , and the works bear bright orangish - red , daisylike peak . The seed are sown this month . They will flower nicely in the summertime .
tropic Plants
Evergreen bush may be institute this month , also various tropical plant , such as paperplant ( Papyrus),bamboo , elephants - capitulum , and bird - of - paradise - peak .
Propagate from carving thesucculents , such as cactus , Aloe , Crassula , Echeveria , Sedum , and Mesembryan - themum .
Bulbs
Take up such bulbs as have ripen their foliation , particularly after the clunk are becoming herd . They may be store in average paper sacks or in wry Fagopyrum esculentum hulls or peatmoss . freesia should be kept wry all summer otherwise they should be dug .
louse
Aphids , thrips , and red spider are abundant this month . See Sir Frederick Handley Page 65 for their control .
The South
In the Gulf states May is for many gardeners largelyamaintenance month , when , except for polish and other care , one can relax a morsel .
Move palms , particularly bombastic ones , tardily this month or ahead of time next , about the time the rainfall specify in . Fertilize withorganic plantfood .
Make cuttings ofchrysanthemumsand ancestor in moxie .
flora oftropical waterliliesare available .
bush
As presently as the shrubs have finished blossom , they may be founder a thoro pruning to induce a growth of good potent arm for next class ’s blossom .
Annuals
To exchange some of the early annuals which have passed , plant Torenias , Vincas , petunias , and various semi - tropical foliage plants .
Oleanderis easy grow from cuttings , root in George Sand , or even in body of water . These cut should be made from the mature Natalie Wood . The Oleander should never be part cut back , but should have the old canes cut out clear to the terra firma .
