The Almanac
Average temperatures: High 88; low 66
Rainfall: 3.74 inches
The moon
1. April moon phases:
New moon: May 4
First quarter: May 11
Full moon: May 18
Last quarter: May 26
2. Moon sign planting dates:
Above ground crops: 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14
Below ground crops: 17, 18, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, 31
Control weeds: 6, 7, 23, 24, 25. 29, 30
Prune trees and shrubs: 1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 19, 20
What to plant
3. Vegetables: Calabaza, chayote, cherry tomato, collards, dasheen, lima bean, snap bean, Malabar spinach, malanga, New Zealand spinach, okra, hot pepper, roselle, Seminole pumpkin, Southern pea, sweet potato, tamarillo, yam and yard-long bean
4. Flowers: Angelonia, balsam, begonias, black-eyed-Susan, blue daze, bromeliads, browallia, bush daisy, butterfly weed, cat’s whiskers, celosia, coleus, coreopsis, crossandra, Dahlberg daisy, gaillardia, gazania, gerbera, goldenrod, gomphrena, impatiens, liatris, marigolds, melampodium, moon vine, nicotiana, nierembergia, pentas, periwinkle, Porter weed, portulaca, purslane, salvia, sunflowers, torenia, verbena and zinnias
5. Herbs: Anise, basil, bay laurel, cardamom, chives, coriander, dill, lemon balm, oregano, rosemary, sage, savory, sweet marjoram, mint, tarragon and thyme
6. Bulbs: Achimenes, agapanthus, blood lilies, bulbine, caladiums, calla lilies, cannas, crinums, day lilies, eucharis lily, gladiolus, gloriosa lilies, peacock ginger, society garlic, spider lilies and rain lilies
Lawn care needed
7. Now is still a good time to fill in bare spots or sod new lawns.
8. May is the last month to fertilize lawns before fall in many areas — check local ordinances.
9. Previously fertilized lawns may only need an iron or minor nutrient application to stay green.
10. Chinch bugs may cause yellow to brown areas in St. Augustine lawns — treat as needed.
11. Now through summer is a good time to seed bahia lawns.
12. Rake brown leaves or declining grass from otherwise healthy turf.
13. Try to stretch the time between waterings; wait until spots in the lawn start to wilt to water.
14. Avoid mowing with dull blades; sharpen frequently.
15. Measure leaf blades to make sure the lawn is being cut at the proper height.
16. Unclog sprinkler heads and adjust to ensure proper watering.
17. Consider allowing drought-tolerant grasses to go dormant during dry weather.
18. Limit lawns to areas needed for recreation and family enjoyment.
19. Dig out or spot kill weeds and replace with plugs of grass or sod.
20. Aerate compacted and hard to wet lawns.
Landscape care
21. Plant only flowers that like the warm weather at this time of the year.
22. Consider theme gardens of one flower color or plant type.
23. Add fresh soil to planters and improve sandy sites with organic matter before planting.
24. Groom plants to regain their natural shape after spring growth.
25. Avoid shearing shrubs and perennials; remove out of bounds shoots with hand pruners.
26. Prune azaleas and camellia before they start setting new flower buds.
27. Prune palms; only remove brown fronds and old flower portions.
28. Feed palms with an 8-2-12 or similar slow-release palm fertilizer according to label.
29. New plants for the landscape might include bromeliads, orchids and other foliage plants.
30. Move orchids to shady landscape spots and feed every other week with a liquid fertilizer.
31. Re-pot orchids and bromeliads overflowing their containers.
32. Prune poinsettias; then cut them back 4 inches every time they produce a foot of new growth.
33. Add slow-release fertilizers to container plantings to reduce the number of feedings needed.
34. Feed shrubs, vines and ground covers as seasonal rains return.
35. Have older trees checked prior to hurricane season.
36. Look for sap-stained bark, hollow areas and twin trunks as signs of tree problems.
37. Train young shade trees to have one central leader with evenly spaced branches.
38. Maintain a mulch layer over tree and shrub roots to help conserve moisture.
39. Save fertilizer; older shade trees seldom need special feedings.
40. Correct drainage problems before the rainy season arrives.
41. Make sure new plant selections have adequate room to grow.
42. Select plants for pool and patio areas that do not drop messy flowers or foliage.
43. Keep new tree and shrub plantings moist as permitted by water restrictions.
44. Remove limbs affecting traffic along walkways.
45. Create shady gardens with low light requiring flowers, shrubs, bulbs and foliage plants.
46. Fertilize all flower beds and shrub plantings as the rainy season returns.
47. Transplant palms when the rainy season returns.
48. Turn compost piles every two weeks.
49. Feed water lilies and lotus monthly.
50. Begin rooting cuttings of favorite shrubs and perennials.
51. Collect and sow seeds from your favorite plants or save them until the proper sowing time.
Vegetable and fruit plantings.
52. Keep citrus trees well nourished and control Asian psyllids to help them tolerate Greening.
53. It’s too late for tomatoes, bell peppers and eggplants; select summer tolerant vegetables.
54. May is the last month for herbs that cannot stand the heat and rains.
55. Starts for tropical vegetables like sweet potatoes and chayotes can be found at grocery stores.
56. Grow your own sweet potato transplants in water or a pot of soil for the garden.
57. Maintain a mulch in the garden and use microsprinklers or soaker hoses to conserve water.
58. Keep bananas and papaya moist and feed monthly to have flowers by late summer.
59. Give citrus, grapes and other fruits a late spring feeding.
60. Prune blackberries and blueberries when fruiting is over.
61. Harvest maturing crops to keep the plants producing.
62. Remove declining fruit plantings and replant with new varieties.
63. Trellis vining crops to save space and prevent diseases.
64. Feed vegetable plantings monthly.
65. Establish soil solarization treatments while it’s hot to control nematodes and diseases.
66. Control fruit worms and leaf spots on vegetables with natural sprays as needed.
67. Control aphids feeding in new shoots with a soap spray.
68. Incorporate compost with planting sites to improve sandy soils.
69. Purchase seeds now for later plantings; seeds are often removed from stores during summer.
Foliage & Houseplant Care
70. Most foliage plants like to grow outdoors in filtered sun or shade during warm weather.
71. Many foliage plants make good shrub and ground cover substitutes for the summer months
72. Check container plants frequently and moisten when the surface soil feels dry.
73. Re-pot plants that have outgrown their containers.
74. Remove yellow leaves and faded flowers.
75. Reshape taller tree form foliage plants and remove declining limbs.
76. Divide African violets, bromeliads and orchids.
77. Wash pests and dust away with soapy water.
78. Feed outdoor foliage plants monthly or use a slow release fertilizer.
79. It’s best to toss tulips and other forced cool season bulbs; these are very difficult to rebloom.
80. Plant Easter lilies in the ground when they finish blooming for a repeat performance.
