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Valhalla Gardens
is located on Mayne Island in the Gulf Islands of British
Columbia, Canada. The maritime growing conditions have a hardiness
rating of Zone 8. (See www.mayneisland.com for more information about Mayne
Island.)
Even in the warmer zones where it is possible for the die-hard
gardener to continue working in the garden through out the winter,
most of us take this time to pause and reflect upon the successes
of the year that has past and begin plans and dreams for the new
garden to come.
The following is a list of suggested gardening activities
and chores for the current and up coming months:
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May
Pest Patrol
Check for aphids on new growth such as rose tips. Spray with
water, insecticidal soap or rub them off with your fingers. If beneficial
insects such as ladybugs and lacewings are feeding on the colony,
leave them and monitor them to see if the beneficial insects will
keep the infestation under control. Watch for outbreaks of black
spot on roses. Control severe outbreaks by spraying with a fungicide
(alternate with Funginex and Benomyl) or a baking soda solution.
Remove weeds. Monitor plantings for signs of disease.
Watch for slugs feeding on newly emerging shoots. Hand pick
or use the Safer's bait, which is non-toxic to birds, fish, pets
and children.
Lawns
Mow regularly with a sharp blade. Mulch the clippings into
the lawn to add nutrients and keep the soil cool and moist. Dig
out any perennial weeds that take hold.
Feed with a high nitrogen lawn fertilizer or a seaweed or
manure tea.
Plant new lawns.
If you have daffodils or crocuses planted in the lawn, be
sure to mow around the bulbs, leaving patches of rough turf, until
the bulb foliage has completely died back.
Trees and Shrubs
Prune deciduous shrubs after they finish blooming.
Deadhead (remove seed pods) from rhododendrons and azaleas.
Add mulches to the soil under trees and shrubs.
Trees and shrubs can still be planted before summer heat takes
hold. Water well after planting. Don't forget to consider the mature
height and spread the tree and avoid planting them too close together
or under overhead structures or wires.
Bulbs
The later blooming tulips will be at their peak. Remove spent
flowers and fertilize throughout the spring to ensure next year's
bloom. Dying bulb foliage can effectively be hidden by emerging
ornamental grasses or perennials such as Penesetum alopecuroides
(fountain grass), hardy geraniums like G. 'Johnson's Blue,' Euphorbia
polychroma or Alchemilla mollis (lady's mantle).
Plant dahlia tubers. Lay the tubers horizontally with the eye
upward. If they are the tall variety pound the stake in at planting
time so tubers are not damaged later. Attach their labels to the
stakes so you can keep track of the variety names. If your ground
is cold and wet, start the tubers in large pots and transplant them
when the soil warms up or leave them to grow in pots all summer.
Don't water them until the soil is dry and you see signs of growth.
Watering too early will rot the tubers.
Perennials
Pinch out the growing tips of annuals, asters and mums to
promote bushy growth and shorter plants that will require less staking.
Stake tall plants that can be damaged by wind and heavy rain.
Tidy up spring flowering perennials and feed them to improve
their size and quality for next year.
Annuals
Sow hardy annuals directly into the garden.
Harden-off tender annuals started indoors or purchased bedding
plants by setting them outside every day and bringing them inside
at night. Slowly increase their length of exposure to the outdoors
and direct sun each day.
Hold-off planting tender vegetables and annuals until the third
week of May. Even if there is no frost, the nights are not warm
enough for annuals to thrive until the end of the month. Plant out
half-hardy annuals that you have around mid month - depending upon
the weather conditions.
Vegetables, Fruit and Herbs
Plant successive crops of lettuce, carrots, spinach, radishes,
potatoes and peas.
Plant tomatoes, and peppers under cover if possible they
will not withstand a frost. Sow cucumbers, squashes, beans and corn
at the end of the month if the weather is warm.
Thin out annuals and vegetables as needed.
Container Gardens
Plant patio containers. Be creative and use a wide range
of unusual pots and container. Mix bulbs, annuals, perennials and
grasses.
Polymer crystals can be added to container soil to reduce
the frequency of water required in dry periods.
Make up hanging baskets.
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June
Monitor:
If we are to have water shortages during the summer now is the
time to prepare for it. Remove all the weeds from your garden. They
rob your plants of precious water and nutrients. Once the weeds
are gone, mulch. Use 8 to 10cm of compost. This will suppress new
weed growth, slow water evaporation and break down to provide nutrients
for your plants while improving the overall condition of the soil.
Pests:
Continue your patrols for outbreaks of aphids, slugs and other
pests. Check roses for signs of black spot; pick off and destroy
diseased leaves.
Lawn:
Mow weekly leaving it 6cm high. The lawn will survive drought
better if the roots grow deep. To encourage this give the lawn 2.5
cm of water once a week. Lay out tuna or cat food cans and measure
how long it takes to fill them to 2.5cm. Water the lawn for this
length of time and then shut the water off.
Check to make sure that your watering system is watering only
your lawn and not the sidewalk or driveway.
Bulbs:
Continue watering bulbs until yellowed leaves can be gently pulled
off.
Perennials:
Stake tall plants. Sow perennials and biennials such as columbine,
delphinium, oriental poppies, lupine, foxglove and campanulas for
next season.
Deadhead roses and perennials to promote more blooms.
Watch for signs of Daylily Gall Midge infection on daylilies.
Remove and destroy any distorted buds.
Annuals:
Plant out bedding plants. Water well and fertilize every
two weeks with an organic fertilizer.
Remove faded flowers to encourage further flowering. Finish
all pool plantings.
Trees and shrubs:
Deadhead rhododendrons and azaleas. Prune back deciduous
shrubs such as lilacs and mock orange as soon as they have finished
flowering.
Fertilize flowering shrubs after they have finished blooming.
Clip hedges leaving the base slightly wider than the top
to ensure that sun and water reach all of the foliage.
Keep newly planted hedges, trees and shrubs well watered.
Fruits and Vegetables:
Plant out tomatoes, cucumbers squashes and beans.
Thin tree fruits after the June drop is complete. Thin triplets
and doubles to singles spaced to 15cm intervals.
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411 Village Bay Road, S1 C90
Mayne Island, BC V0N 2J0
Phone/Voice Mail: 250-539-2598
Fax: 250-539-2598
Email: trishhoff@gulfislands.com
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