May

Tip: The best way to get rid of mosquitoes is Listerine (the original medicinal type).  Use a spray bottle on the lawn & deck floor with Listerine & mosquitoes will disappear.  Thanks Karen!

Tip: The perennial craze is, well, crazy right now and that's great because there are so many benefits to perennials, but remember, annuals can add a lot of positives to your yard too.  Not only are they fast blooming and striking in color they can help with pest management.  For instance marigolds repel whitefly, while sunflowers attract aphids drawing them away from other plants that might be more sensitive.  Nasturtiums trap aphids as well & petunias repel leafhoppers, tomato worms & asparagus beetles.  Many annuals attract beneficial insects to your yard too because of their strong smells.    Thanks for the tip Iona!

Tip: This is the beginning of our gardening season.  If you live further south you need to be reading last years June & July tips. For us Northerners though, this is a very exciting time of year - we've got only 5 months of true "growing" (if we're lucky) so it's no holds barred right now!  Cleaning up, power raking (if you can) soaking your perennials, shrubs & trees with intense amounts of water (remember, larger quantities, less frequently is best for most plants), assessing the damage of winter kill, drinking beer in the backyard, getting out early to tackle the hardy weeds popping up and troubleshooting in the garden are key jobs right now.  If you haven't trimmed back your perennials & shrubs in the fall, this would be a good time to get at that and also a good time to plant your cold season veggie seeds & your early spring seeds.  This is also the time to dream...  If you can't do it all (and who can), make a commitment to tackle at least one garden issue this year that you've wanted to improve. 

Tip: Don't be tempted by landscape fabric!  It smothers your soil, killing unwanted plants but it also kills everything else underneath it, including beneficial insects & micro-organisms that aid in breaking down soil & distributing nutrients.  Not only does it destroy healthy soil, it doesn't work.  In a few years the only thing that will survive landscape fabric & be poking up through it are the very weeds you're trying to stop in the first place.  The best way to control weeds is to buy fertile soil that is  somewhat weed seed free & get out there regularly & pull the weeds that do appear, especially before they seed. 

Tips:  Whenever you purchase a new plant (perennials in particular) check before planting to see if you can split the plant.  Many will divide easily or offer a small start to the side of the main plant.  Put this little start in a pot to pamper for a few weeks before planting out into the garden or adding to a mixed pot.  The even splits can usually be put right into the garden (if watered well for a bit).  Thanks for the tip Linda Jewett!