Remember that most annuals are frost sensitive. Cover plants with fabric or paper when there is a freeze warning. Most perennials are acclimated enough to resist damage by frost.

In Michigan, the last frost date is right around May 15th-20th. We often can’t wait that long (and why should we) to get going with our annuals and vegetables. Much care should be taken if you plant outside at the end of April and the beginning of May. If temperatures fall below 40 degrees, I wouldn’t take a chance and cover your tender vegetables and annuals and bring in your houseplants (most houseplants should be brought in if temps get below 50 degrees). If you are using a covering, avoid plastic. It is generally thought that because of the makeup of plastic it gets just as cold as the air and can allow freezing it touches the plants. Fabrics are best, followed by newspaper.

This is an example of frost damage on a tomato. Leaves turn brown and curl at the edges. Severe frost will cause the entire plant to wilt.

Here are some reminders on what should be going on around your yard this month!

Seeds:

Sow your last crops of cool weather plants such as lettuce and broccoli early in the month.

Sow the remainder of your seeds outside after the last frost date, or be prepared to cover your seeds with a sheet or newspaper.

Vegetables:

Sow and plant so that you will have a rotating crop. This prevents insects and disease from taking hold of your garden.

If you had late blight last year and have not begun treating the area, consider that area of your garden contaminated and do not plant there! Contact Flowerland for further direction and advice.

Plant seed potatoes in an area that has good drainage after last threat of frost.

Remember to share your crop with friends and neighbors. Call your local food bank in advance to see if they accept donations of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Bulbs:

After blooming it is tempting to cut down the foliage of tulips and daffodils. Resist this temptation! Bulbs are building up energy for next year before they go dormant, leave this foliage until it has turned mostly yellow, and then cut (do not pull) them off.

After tulips and daffodils are done blooming, you may cut off unsightly dead blooms, but leave foliage as it it gathering energy the bulbs will use to flower next year.

Plant summer bulbs! Plant your elephant ears you have started inside after last threat of frost. Plant glads and dahlias, making sure to mark where bulbs are so you can dig them up in the fall.

Houseplants:

After the threat of frost and temperatures below 50 degrees it is safe to move your houseplants outside. Never place your houseplants in the hot direct sun even if they are full light plants. They are delicate and can burn in under an hour. Instead choose an area of your patio or porch that will get dappled sun, or shade. Outside light is intense enough to meet the needs of high light plants even out of direct sunlight.  You may need to increase your watering schedule with the temperatures, and check often for insects and pests.

Trees and Shrubs:

If you are planning on trimming your Rhododendrons and Azaleas, do so immediately after they have bloomed. They will form winter buds, and you will trim off next years buds if you wait too long.

Continue to trim out tent caterpillar nests.

Treat white-barked birches for birch leafminers.

Damage from Birch leafminers. If left untreated they can defoliate a tree in a single season and weaken the trees defenses against weather and disease.

Treat your ash trees. Emerald Ash Borers begin to appear late in the month, without treatment, they will surely overrun your trees!

Watch for spider mite activity on Canadian Alberta Spruce, Boxwood and Burning bushes. They can also be found on other shrubs, but these are some of their favorites.

Catching spider mites early is the key to successful treatment. Watch for brown patches on Alberta spruce and drooping leaves on Burning bushes that have been appropriately watered.

They are many other insect problems that begin this month. If you are having a problem, cut off a good sample showing damage and the insect (if you can’t get both choose the insect), place it in a zip lock bag and bring it in to us. We can ID your problem on site and then give you options for solutions.  If you have a digital camera snap some overall shots of your problem and bring your camera in with the sample.

Plant trees that have color this month including Kousa Dogwood, Redbuds and Flowering Crabs! It is also time to plant fruit trees. Many fruity trees require two different varieties to pollinate properly-consult a nursery specialist to help you choose your fruit tree varieties.

Annuals:

When planting annuals first loosen the plant from the pack by squeezing the bottom of the cell pack. Turn the cell on its side and as you squeeze up on the bottom grab the entire plant at the base and pull it out.

Loosen the bottom part of the roots to help establish you plants.

It is always a good idea to loosen the the roots of plants you have just bought. This includes everything from trees to little annuals. This helps the plants development and root establishment.

Always be sure to water after you have planted, and keep unplanted flats moist as well. Don’t store your flats in the full sun, instead keep them in the shade until you are ready to plant them.

Lawn and Weeds:

Apply pre-emergents such as preen to keep control of weeds in your garden.

Pull perennial weeds such as dandelions out of your garden.  Be sure to get the whole root, as they can regenerate easily. If your job is too big,  Scotts Weed and Feed can work wonders on your lawn!

Don’t apply weed killers to newly seeded lawns or allow children or animals to play on applied areas.

Now’s a great time to lay down sod. Watering is the key to keeping your sod alive! Never let your sod dry out. Use a box-cutter to cut your sod to shape when laying it down. See Flowerlands online care sheets for more information!

Laying sod is easy and rewarding! Keeping your sod well-watered will keep it healthy and green.

Apply step two of your four-step program. Apply when the grass is moist and do not water for 48 hours.

Other information:

Garlic mustard is starting to bolt-pull before its too late! Early in the month Garlic mustard is in flower. Get out with your garbage bags and pull! Each plant left flowering can produce up to 8,000 seeds that are taking over our fields and forests (Remember not to compost, or leave plants on the ground-they can still seed!).

Perennials:

Now is the time to split ornamental grasses,  daylilies,  hostas and other perennials as they start to emerge. Be sure to water well as you transplant.

Split daylilies before their leaves get too large. Remember to water plants well before and after splitting!

Cut back lavender if it has grown too large.

Plant bare root Peonies.

Pull the rest of fallen leaves off your perennials. Apply mulch as needed.

Cut down ornamental grasses before growth starts to emerge.

Ornamental grasses are growing quickly now. Be sure to cut down last years growth before new growth comes in. Remember some ornamentals are slower to emerge than others so don't panic!

Bulbs:

Plant your summer bulbs when soil temps reach 60 degrees. Glads and Dahlias will need to be lifted before or just after the first frost in the fall.

Start slow emerging bulbs such as elephant ears inside to get a jump on growth. Transplant outside after all danger of frost has passed.

Lawn/Turf:

Apply gypsum to areas that have been affected by road salt and animal urine.

Apply Step one of a four step program now. Avoid crabgrass by using a program or fertilizer with crabgrass  preventer. You only have until the end of the month to apply step one!

Rake out debris left from last fall and winter plowing before it does permanent damage.

Annuals:

Plant frost resistant pansies for color.

Sub zero pansies can withstand frost and even snow. Primroses are also safe to plant now for that extra burst of color!

Change the dirt out of your patio containers.  Nutrients leach from your pots and salts from fertilizers can build up. This also helps prevents pests and disease.

Start appropriate seeds. Follow our seed planting guide for correct planting times.

http://myflowerland.com/caresheets/pdf/vegetable-planting-table.pdf

Vegetables:

Buy seed potatoes now. Plant outside after the last threat of frost.

Seed potatoes and onion sets are selling fast! Get asparagus roots now too, they are two year roots so you can harvest this year.

Plant onion sets.

Plant cool weather cool weather cole crops such as lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, beets and radishes. Their seeds can be sown outdoors now.

Trees and Shrubs:

Wrap up dormant oil applications.

Apply Diplodia tip blight applications on Mugo and Scotch pines before new tip growth starts.

Prune Eastern tent caterpillars out of crab and flowering trees.

It you leave Eastern tent caterpillars their nests will sure take over your trees. They tend to do the most damage to crab trees, and other flowering ornamental. Prune out branches early to make sure the problem is eradicated (Photo courtesy of Wiki Commons).

Sharpen your pruners, or invest in a new pair. Make sure you read up on how to prune before doing more damage than good!

Prune back your hydrangeas. If you are not sure what type of hydrangea you have, do not prune and simply cut out dead growth and flower heads. Here is a great link on how to prune hydrangeas!

http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/pruning.html

Soil:

Take a handful of soil and squeeze it in your hand, if it crumbles when you open your hand it is ready for planting!

Get a pH test. New gardeners underestimate the power of pH. It can literally mean the difference between life and death of the plant. Having the correct pH of the soil can also allow your plants to thrive and have large blooms. Flowerland offers free soil pH testing and can direct towards what you can/should use to amend your soil.

Apply fresh compost to your soil. Add two inches to the top and mix in with a hoe or rake.

Other info:

As Garlic mustard begins to emerge, be sure to pull the plant with attached root. Solarize the plants in a garbage bag for two weeks to kill seeds before disposing. Never toss in your compost pile or in the woods, this will simply spread the problem.

Garlic mustard may have small leaves right now, and not have flowers like the plant above. It is best to pull this invasive now before flowers emerge.

Turn on your outside water and check your hoses for leaks. Remember that most hoses are not food grade, and therefore should not be drank out of.

Get a step on weeds by applying a pre-emergent such as Preen and do your best to remove perennial weeds with spray or hand pulling.

Flowerland offers products such as Preen in several sizes, so you can buy what you need! Store leftover product in original bottle in a cool, dry area.

Happy Gardening!