MAY GARDENING TIPS

 "I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we only will tune in."(George Washington Carver 1861 or 64-1943)

  May is the time to plant.  I don't know about you, but I can hardly wait to get outside and throw dirt around and go googly eyed over  flowers to pot up.

 Everything is  exploding from the dirt.

 This year I gathered flats from all over  different garden centres, and kept them in my greenhouse till needed. I  found that flats from grocery stores were cheaper and had just as nice  selections.

 Some years I make lists of exactly what plants I want. But this year  I decided to  let loose and  just get a large selection of as many varieties as I could.  I didn't think. I just  mixed and matched.

 The only thing I searched for was Rhodochiton. My ultimate favourite to have in hanging baskets.

 When I did find a couple of flats I just bought them all up cause I never knew if they would show up again.I only do this for Rhodochiton. I hunt for it every year.

 "The course of nature is the art of God." (Edward Young  1683-1765)

 The result was that I had tons for two or three hanging baskets of Rhodochiton. I tried using seeds that I ordered, but none of them took. If there are certain flowers that you just HAVE to have, try phoning in a request and see if it can be filled.

 This is a good time of year to play in the dirt, add compost and get all purpose fertilizer pellets that you can add to the pots as you stuff in the flowers.

I also have water soluble fertilizer, but the pellets are easy to toss in as you're potting along.

 I'm not even sure how many pots I have......tons on the patio, about 15 on the porch and this year I found a few more to add. I also use up any small pot that I come across. They can be stacked together in groups or layered down steps. I must have 80. I think. I've lost count.I use the same potting soil year after year, and top up with fresh soil as it needs it.

Even though you can plant this month you have to watch out for rogue frosts. They blight  tender shoots. Be sure to keep tomatoes under cover in greenhouse, or under homemade covers that you can do up with milk cartons, or plastic hoods, or check the local hardware store for other ideas to cover tomatoes.
                                     
 Also a great idea to set up a rain barrel for collecting extra water, and also use dishwater that is not too sudsy.  This is great when the season gets going and there are bugs to kill off. Toss leftover dishwater over flowers that have aphids and it will help.  You can also try Safer's Soap.

 You can also purchase ladybugs from any local greenhouse that carries them and release into the garden.   They chomp up those aphids very smartly.This is the month that the roses start up. I don't do much to roses, just prune off the black spot and yukky stuff . I don't fuss with them.The only thing I spray on roses is Bobbexx which keeps the deer at bay. They tend to eat all the tops off. Bobexx does not  harm the deer. It contains rotten eggs ( ikky), fish meal, fish oil, meat meal, garlic and cloves, plus Epsom and Urea. THE deer  do NOT like. Scares them off anything you do not want them to eat.

 "Deep in their roots, all flowers keep the light." 
                        Theodore Roethke 1908-1963)

 Treat yourself to a few new flowers that you have not tried before. Don't be afraid to  mix and match. Make sure shade is for shade and sun is for sun.

 This year I planted a gazillion sweet peas. Everywhere. Last year I was much more careful and kept them in certain areas. This year I have seeds comping up in every pot, and hanging basket, plus troughs and  wherever there was space. Seeds are cheap. So I stuffed them into everything. They can hang down from baskets like vines, or you can train them up trellis.

 It's all about experimenting and seeing what  happens.

 Be inspired and let yourself go. Look for plants that are inexpensive and sold in packs rather than individuals. Don't try and stay with one colour scheme. Try all your favourites and then add some surprises. See what happens.

"Wherever you walk, cool gales shall fan the glad. Trees, where you sit, shall crowd into a shade. Wherever you tread, the blushing flowers shall rise. And all things flourish where you turn your eyes."  (Alexander Pope 1688-1744)