‘horticultural how-to and woo-woo’
the source for organic gardening inspiration
margaret roach, head gardener
Berberis thunbergii ‘Gold Ring,’ an informal, 4-foot barberry, has the most delicate band of gold around the margin of each of its wine-colored leaves, which looks especially good when the golden flowers appear in May. Its foliage heats up in fall, but right now is when I like it most for its subtle details.
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1May 1, 2012seeds and seed potatoesTUBERS AND SLIPS TIME: Are the white potatoes in the ground? They could have gone in in April, but if not, there’s still time. Don’t miss out! CONTINUE SOWING CARROTS, beets, radishes, salad greens, dill. Sow kale, chard. With salad, select heat-resistant varieties as they’ll bump into warmer weather at harvest time. A primer on when to start what seeds. | 2 | 3 | 4May 4, 2012deadhead faded spring bulbsDEADHEAD SPRING BULBS as blooms fade, but leave foliage intact to wither and ripen the bulbs naturally. I mow my daffodil drifts around July 4th, for example. Deadhead spring-flowering perennials unless they have showy seedheads, or you want to collect seed later (non-hybrids only). | 5 | 6 | |
7May 7, 2012a clean edge on bedsEDGE BEDS to make a clean line and define them. A clean edge makes a real difference, along with an inch and a half or two of good, fine- to medium-textured organic mulch. No baked-potato-sized chips, please, and no orange-dyed mulch. Here’s my point of view on mulch. | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12May 12, 2012beans, beans and more beansDIRECT-SOW BEANS mid-month and beyond (a short row every two weeks), and sow pole beans for a later crop. This year I’m trying to grow heirloom beans for drying, too. Wait till month’s end, when the weather is settled, to sow summer and winter squash, cucumbers, melons, or start indoors at the first of month and set out at end. My 20 top seed-starting FAQs. | 13May 13, 2012shop for stocky seedlingsWHEN SHOPPING FOR SEEDLINGS of tomatoes (or really anything), pick stocky young plants about 4 inches high and wide—bigger isn’t better. WITH FLOWER SEEDLINGS in 6-packs, don’t worry about “buying green,” as in you don’t need to buy annuals that are flowering madly in tiny cells. Younger, fresher plants are best. They will catch up. Shop for overall plant health and vigor, not number of blooms. |
| 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18May 18, 2012how’s the heap cooking?DON’T LET THE HEAP DRY out completely, or it will not “cook.” If it wasn’t turned to aerate earlier this season, do so now to hasten decomposition. Pre-shredding with your mower can also speed things along. Use finished, screened material to topdress beds. | 19 | 20May 20, 2012mow regularly, but don’t feed too muchIF LAWN GREENED UP well, no fertilizer is needed; I skip it (and spare myself the extra mowing, while helping the environment with less fuel wasted). If growth or greening was sluggish, consider applying an all-natural organic fertilizer in fall, when lawn grasses take best advantage of fertilizing to grow strong root systems. DON’T BAG OR RAKE clippings when you mow; let them lie on the lawn to return Nitrogen to the soil.
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21May 21, 2012fresh air for houseplantsHOUSEPLANTS can spend the summer outdoors starting late this month (or whenever frost danger is past or at least minimized). Set them in a sheltered location with filtered bright light (not direct sun). Pinch back and repot those that need it as you transition them, and begin regular feeding if you didn’t already in earlier spring. | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25May 25, 2012tomato time!HEAT-LOVERS LIKE tomatoes go out after frost danger is past, but many people make a ritual of it on Memorial Day weekend (technically a tad early here). Use these tomato tips and tricks for best results (or browse my whole archive of tomato topics). Eggplants and peppers can go out, too. Harden off vegetable seedlings before transplanting, bringing them in and out for a few days before setting free for good. | 26 | 27 |
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Training is everything. The peach was once a bitter almond; cauliflower is nothing but
cabbage with a college education.
‘never stop wanting more plants, my garden mentor instilled in me 20-plus years ago, regularly reminding me of another gardener, past 90, who still lusts for every new thing he can get a cutting of. I promise not, until I myself am back in the soil.’
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