Annuals 

• Rejuvenate petunias to extend their life. Cut back by 1/3, fertilize, and plan to repeat next month.
• Annuals are heavy feeders. Fertilize at planting with half strength water soluble fertilizer, then fertilize every 4-6 weeks.
• Cool-season annuals are probably getting ready to be pulled out of the garden to make room for warm-season annuals. After clearing out cool-season annuals, rework your bed by removing weeds, turning soil, and adding 3-4” of compost mixed in well.Take care to thoroughly water newly planted beds (morning is best).
• Deadhead annuals that leave spent blooms hanging (Ex. zinnia, cut back to the first set of true leaves).

• Bulbs in containers can be fertilized with a water-soluble fertilizer, bulbs in ground can be fertilized with a premium slow-release fertilizer.
• Cut off fruits on amaryllis and daylilies, they take away from future blooms.
• Cut off the foliage of spring-blooming bulbs when it has turned yellow/brown. If you decide to dig them up, store them in ventilated bags (onion bag netting, nylons, etc.) in a cool dry area.
• Gingers can be planted in shady areas of the landscape now that it is warmer.

Shrubs

• Prune spring-blooming shrubs once their flowering is complete, if needed.
• Water new shrubs 1-2 times a week if no rain has been present.
• Be on the watch for leaf spot on photinias, Indian Hawthorns. Rake, remove affected leaves, apply fungicide, and acidify with Hi Yield Iron Plus.
• Shrubs should be mulched if you haven’t already, so they’ll be ready for the upcoming hot summer.
• Acid-loving shrubs like azaleas, camellias and gardenias, can begin to get yellowed leaves on new growth due to an iron deficiency. Offer them chelated iron, and acidify the soil with sulfur, copperas or another soil acidifier like Espoma Soil Acidifier. Acid-loving shrubs need our alkaline soil amended often.

Trees

• Tropical fruit trees are generally on their way or already in the nurseries by now. Shop as soon as you can for best selections. Make sure to take extra care in watering newly planted tropical trees to get them established.
• Newly planted trees should get a soaking (30-45 min steady trickle from a hose) if rain has not been present for a week.
• It’s really too late to be planting shade and ornamental trees, but -Palm trees are an exception to the late planting rule and like to be planted in the heat.
• Pay special attention to the watering of magnolias if you have them, they are not drought tolerant.

Herbs:

• Don’t delay planting your perennial and warm-season annual herbs so they have time to get established before the summer heat rages.
• Don’t forget that herbs can look amazing in your other garden beds. African basil has particularly stunning blooms and attracts beneficial pollinators. And thyme makes a great creeping groundcover.
• Cut back herbs that are getting gangly and out of control. (Use fresh immediately or dry or freeze them for later use.)
• Pinch tops of basil and use often so it doesn’t go to flower.

Veggies:

• Keep veggie gardens watered so they don’t become drought-stressed. They’ll need 1-2” of water if rain hasn’t been present.
• Watch for early blight on tomatoes. Fingerprint-sized yellow blotches will first appear on lower leaves and quickly spread up the plant. Apply copper fungicide in the morning. (Read label for follow up application instructions.) Keep foliage dry when watering to help reduce the chance of this fungal disease.
• When tops of onions fall over, they are ready to be harvested.
• Harvest veggies like zucchini and squash when they are small for best quality. Harvesting tips blog
• Make plans to clear out cool-season veggies as they are nearing their end.
• Okra, pumpkins and winter squash can be planted if the weather is consistently warm.