Taking an environmentally sensitive approach to pest management
| Category | Week | Activity |
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| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
| Ornamentals | x | Deadhead bulbs and spring flowering perennials as blossoms fade. | |||
| x | Watch for bagworms feeding on many garden plants, but especially juniper and arborvitae. | ||||
| x | Thin seedlings to proper spacings before plants crowd each other. | ||||
| x | x | x | Plant tropical water lilies when water temperatures rise above 70 degrees. | ||
| x | x | When night temperatures stay above 50 degrees, bring houseplants outdoors for the summer. | |||
| x | x | Apply a balanced rose fertilizer after the first show of blooms is past. | |||
| x | x | Rhizomatous begonias are not just for shade. Many varieties, especially those with bronze foliage, do well in full sun if given plenty of water and a well-drained site. | |||
| x | x | Most houseplants brought outside prefer a bright spot shaded from afternoon sun. Check soil moisture daily during hot weather. | |||
| x | x | Apply organic mulches as the soil warms. These will conserve moisture, discourage weeds, and enrich the soil as they decay. | |||
| x | x | Apply a second spray for borer control on hardwood trees. | |||
| x | x | Softwood cuttings can be taken from trees and shrubs as the spring flush of growth is beginning to mature. | |||
| x | x | Continue spraying roses with a fungicide to prevent black spot disease. | |||
| x | x | Tired of the same old foundation plantings? Find fresh ideas among the evergreens planted in the Dwarf Conifer collection. | |||
| x | x | Trees and shrubs may still be fertilized before July 4th. | |||
| x | x | Pruning of spring flowering trees and shrubs should be completed before the month's end. | |||
| Lawns | x | x | x | x | Water turf as needed to prevent drought stress. |
| x | x | x | x | Mow lawns frequently enough to remove no more than one-third the total height per mowing. There is no need to remove clippings unless excessive. | |
| x | x | x | x | Gradually increase the mowing height of zoysia lawns throughout the summer. By September, the mowing height should be 2 to 2.5 inches. | |
| x | x | x | x | Mow bluegrass at 2 to 3.5 inch height. Turfgrasses growing in shaded conditions should be mowed at the higher recommendations. | |
| x | x | Zoysia can be fertilized now while actively growing. Do not exceed 2-3 pounds of actual nitrogen fertilizer per l000 sq. ft. per year. | |||
| Vegetables | x | x | Repeat plantings of corn and beans to extend the harvest season. | ||
| x | x | Plant pumpkins now to have Jack-o-lanterns for Halloween. | |||
| x | x | As soon as cucumber and squash vines start to 'run,' begin spray treatments to control cucumber beetles and squash vine borers. | |||
| x | x | x | Set out transplants of Brussels sprouts started last month. These will mature for a fall harvest. | ||
| x | x | x | Soaker hoses and drip irrigation systems make the most efficient use of water during dry times. | ||
| x | x | x | To minimize diseases, water with overhead irrigation early enough in the day to allow the foliage to dry before nightfall. | ||
| x | x | Start seedlings of broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. These will provide transplants for the fall garden. | |||
| x | Stop harvesting asparagus when the spears become thin. | ||||
| x | x | Control corn earworms. Apply several drops of mineral oil every 3 to 7 days once silks appear. Sprays of Bt are also effective. | |||
| x | To maximize top growth on asparagus, apply 2 pounds of 12-12-12 fertilizer per l00 sq. ft., water well and renew mulches to conserve moisture. | ||||
| Fruits | x | Oriental fruit moths emerge. They are most serious on peaches where the first generation attacks growing tips. Wilted shootsshould be pruned out. | |||
| x | Thinning overloaded fruit trees will result in larger and healthier fruits at harvest time. Thinned fruits should be a hands-width apart. | ||||
| x | Enjoy the strawberry harvest. | ||||
| x | x | Renovate strawberries after harvest. Mow the rows; thin out excess plants; remove weeds; fertilize and apply a mulch for weed control. | |||
| x | x | Summer fruiting raspberries are ripening now. | |||
| x | x | Begin control for apple maggot flies. Red painted balls that have been coated with tanglefoot may be hung in apple trees to trap egg-laying females. | |||
| x | x | Spray trunks of peach trees and other stone fruits for peach tree borers. | |||
| x | x | Prune and train young fruit trees to eliminate poorly positioned branches and to establish proper crotch angles. | |||
| Miscellaneous | x | x | When using any gas powered equipment, be sure to allow the engine a few minutes to cool before refilling empty fuel tanks. | ||
| x | x | A mailbox mounted on a nearby post makes a handy place to store and keep dry any small tools, seeds, labels, etc. frequently used in the garden. | |||
Gardening Calendar supplied by the staff of the William T. Kemper Center for Home Gardening located at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, Missouri. (www.GardeningHelp.org)
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REVISED: May 19, 2014