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As the weather continues to warm and schedules become busier, it is time to plan for getting the most out of the home landscape during the summer months. May is a very important time to take care of these jobs, and here are some timely tips to use:

  • Fertilize warm season grasses when summer green-up begins.
  • Mulch around newly planted trees and shrubs. This will reduce weeds and extremes in soil temperature; it also helps retain moisture, preventing damage from lawn mowers, and looks attractive.
  • Apply post emergent weed control now to combat summer annual weeds. It is much easier to control them when they are young than to wait until they mature.
  • Some common ground covers suitable for sunny locations include Ajuga (Ajuga reptans), Moss Pink (Phlox subulata), and Creeping Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis).
  • Lightly side-dress perennials, including spring bulbs, with a 5-10-10 or 10-10-10 fertilizer, being careful to avoid the center or crown of the plant.
  • Caladiums need generous amounts of water and fertilizer to encourage continuous production of new leaves during the summer. Apply a light, side dressing of 5-10-5 fertilizer every two weeks, and water thoroughly to encourage bright-colored foliage.
  • If you are looking for plants that flower each year, require little care, and are rarely bothered by pests or disease, try some of these perennials: coneflower, bleeding heart, coral bell, daylily, geum, hosta, bergenia, and veronica.
  • Potted plants, when placed outdoors, may need to be watered more frequently than if they were inside. If you place plants in clay pots inside larger plastic pots or cover clay pots with aluminum foil, you will reduce the frequency at which you must water. Remember to punch a drainage hole if foil is used.
  • Gladiolus grows best in well-drained soil, protected from wind. Bulbs can be planted now. For best bloom, water thoroughly once a week after the spike begins to show above the soil.
  • Bright-red and deep-red salvias are good for concentrated color in full sun. Use the lighter or pastel shades of salvia in partial shade.
  • Set out marigolds, petunias, ageratums, and fibrous begonias. All are good border plants.
  • Impatiens are the most satisfactory annual for use in shady areas. Begonias, coleus, ageratum, salvia, and vincas prefer light shade (5 to 6 hours of sunlight.)
  • Wave petunias withstand heat much better than other types, are more attractive throughout the summer and have their greatest impact planted en masse in landscape beds. They are also more resistant to botrytis, a fungal disease that cripples petunias, especially in damp weather.
  • Set petunia plants among fading tulips or daffodils to hide the unsightly wilting leaves. After the bulb foliage begins to fade, you can tie the leaves in gentle knots to neaten them, but don’t remove them until they have dried completely.
  • Do not be surprised if variegated hosta has green leaves when grown in the sun.  The best, variegated, color pattern is developed on plants in a semi-shady location.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Brenda Jackson at Murray County Extension at 706-695-3031 or email bljack@uga.edu.

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