Garden Jobs For May(Lets Compile)

[Farhan Ahmed]

Members require your input for Garden jobs for May!
Please share your experiences and Tips with fellow members.

[Hamad Ahmed Kisana]

here are few tips from me,
May is a very productive month in the garden. All the hard work that you put in during the spring now starts to pay off, with so many of your fruit and vegetables ready for harvest.
Considering the heat, there's usually enough to do in the month of may. Weather will become suddenly hot so here are few tips
1. keeping just the lawns mowed, hedges trimmed, weeds controlled and rubbish collected.
2. In hot and dry weather of may you will also be concerned with keeping water up to your most valued plants. pots need watering once a day or even twice, keep in mind that any pots that are in direct sun will dry out quickly, so consider moving them to dappled shade or adding a layer of mulch to help them retain moisture. If your pots are drying out too quickly or you're planning to go away on holiday, group your pots together in a cooler spot and that way, they'll need watering less often.
3. Due to hot weather weeds also start coming out rapidly so manage them with hoeing.
4. For the beds which are in direct sun mulching is necessary to retain moisture. If you can manage then apply a mulch of at least 2 inches in the beds.
5. Lawn is very important in garden and may is a good month to ensure you keep your lawn healthy. Slightly raise the cutting height of your lawnmower as taller grass will cool the roots and help keep the moisture in the soil for longer. Continue to mow regularly, just make intervals between mowing long.
6. If new lawn is created and grass is transplanted then plenty of water in the warm weather of may is required so water it frequently with a splash of urea. And remember that watering at night is more efficient than by day when the moisture will evaporate a lot more quickly under the grass.
7. If you havnt arranged summer annual seedlings then visit nursery for summer annuals. Few common annuals are as under.
Portulaca
Few annuals can match the performance of this low-growing, spreading plant in hot, dry locations. A wide variety of colors are available in single and double flowers.One of the most tolerant is Portulaca grandiflora or moss rose, a low, ground-covering plant with small rose-like flowers
Gaillardia.
Gaillardia is considerably more heat and drought tolerant than most annuals. They will grow under very harsh and dry conditions A number of varieties are available ranging in color from yellow to red. The plant grows to 11⁄2 to 2 ft (46 to 61 cm) tall, with bright, daisy-like single color and bicolor blooms in shades from yellow to red to brown. The flowers bloom in the summer. it can be used as a perennial plant.
Sunflower.
Sunflowers are beautiful summer flowers they prefer full sun and rich, well-drained soil. They're tolerant of heat and drought. Plant the tall varieties 12 to 18 inches apart, dwarf ones at 9- to 12-inch spacings. Pinch the central tip of bedding types for more branching.
Coleus.
An excellent choice for shady locations, although some varieties are sun tolerant. Heights range from one to three feet depending on variety and conditions. Coleus is grown for its colorful foliage; many varieties also have deeply lobed or cut margins. Flower spikes should be removed as they appear.
Cosmos(sulphureus)
Cosmos sulphureus Ranging in height from one to four feet, Cosmos are among the easiest annuals to grow. Taller varieties have a tendency to fall over and may require staking. C. sulphureus varieties are predominately yellow and gold; C. bipinnatus varieties are white to pink to crimson.
Ornamental Pepper
Ornamental Peppers are grown for their highly colored elongated fruit (pods) which range in color from yellow to orange, red, and purple to near black. Multiple colors are often present on the same plant. The fruit are extremely hot and should be used with caution around children.
Periwinkle Vinca
With improved varieties and additional colors, Vinca has become a very popular annual in the South. It is heat and drought tolerant, and grows well on poor soils. Do not confuse Catharanthus with the true Vincas, V. minor and V. Major, which are evergreen perennial ground covers.
Zinnia
The Zinnia is a versatile annual. They range in height from six to 36 inches and are available in many different colors and flowers. Zinnias grow well under hot, sunny conditions but need ample moisture to thrive. Creeping Zinnia is a reliable annual for hot, dry areas. The yellow flowers resemble small Zinnias. Plants have a spreading habit of growth and are useful annual groundcovers.
Coreopsis
One of the best summer perennials is tickseed (Coreopsis), a front to mid-border plant with small, daisy-like flowers that thrives in hot summers.
help is taken from internet while compiling this topic.

[Farhan Ahmed]

Gr8 going hakraza Sb.....you have covered summer annuals very nicely. Thankyou

Lets have further input from members on other aspects such as perennials/shrubs etc

[ka_khan]

Thank you farhan for starting this thread,i was looking for it and Thanks a lot hakraza sb for the guideline.This will greatly help new comers like me.

[UMARKHANMARDAN]

Very limited annuals in summer Zinnia Magellan & Portulaca Sundial in separate colors.Thanks God i have enough water in the summer.

[Farhan Ahmed]

Summer annuals are not limited in my opinion, its a matter of exploring. Some other summer annuals. Most are available locally, if not seedlings than seeds. I have tried most of them personally.

Vines
Morning Glory Vine(many cultivars)
Moon Flower Vine
Cypress Vine
Cardinal Climber
Cobaea Scandens
Mina Lobata

Border Plants
Tithonia
Gomphrena
Kochia
Amaranthus
Joseph's Coat
Celosia
Catananche
Cosmos bipinnatus
Dahlia
Rudbeckia
Coneflowers
Marigolds
Mimosa
Passiflora
Miraballis Jalapa
Venidium
Balsam/Impatiens
Abutilons
Melapodium
Torena
Browalia
Pelargonium
Datura
Sunflowers(Various cultivars)
Polka Dot Plant
Solanum
Salvias
Cleome

[UMARKHANMARDAN]

Farhan 137 you are right but mostly are fit for the summers of Europe which do not exceed 25 C, like you mentioned DAHLIA & PELAGORUM.secondly many annuals which are sold as hot summer annuals are for rainy season.thirdly some annuals are for autumn show like golds & cocks comb.so the edition is again limited.Zinnia,Portulaca & Canna do not fade their colors even in the hottest sun.Zinnia is not suitable for rainy season.i think you got my point.

[Munir]

1. Thank you Farhan for initiating the thread & Hakraza for a prompt & elaborate input.

2. Information on garden/indoor plants, veggies & fruits has not been included; could some experts say something on these also, for the benefit of the learners like me, including; sowing/transplanting if still possible, care & maintenance, harvesting if due.

3. My recommendations on Summer Flowers are :
a. For limited ground space & new gardeners; Zinnia, Portulaca, & may be Cockscomb for the soil beds. Coleus & Ornamental Peppers for the containers.
b. For more ground space: Add Celosia,Gomphrena,Cosmos & Balsam or more from the long list,depending on space,personal choice & degree of expertise.

4. One question: How to accommodate Marigolds, which overlap both summer as well as winter annuals?

[aykhan]

Cover your cycads and every plant which will burn under the hot sun in Lahore. All small plants in shade even if they are sun loving or you'll risk their death. Mulch at least 2-3 inches. Watch out for mealy bugs. Khabbab is experimenting with Neem Oil as the organic solution to mites, aphids and mealy bugs.

[Farhan Ahmed]

Pest to watch out for:-
Caterpillars & Mites.........lots of them.