MAY
MAY
PLANTING
Plant bare root, balled and burlapped, balled and potted, and container-grown ornamental landscape plants. Bare root plants should be dormant. Spring has become a traditional time for planting because environmental conditions favor planting. Soil and air temperatures should be above freezing. Plants adapt readily to the intensity of spring sunlight and are less likely to be stressed by dry weather.
TRANSPLANTING
Dig plants that were root pruned in the fall. Deciduous plants may be moved bare root before bud break but broadleaf and narrowleaf evergreens should be moved balled and burlapped or balled and potted. Moving may be done whenever the soil and air temperatures are above freezing.
PRUNING
Thin broadleaf and narrowleaf evergreens when damaging low temperatures (below freezing) and drying winds are no longer a threat. Overgrown or unhealthy broadleaf evergreens may be rejuvenated to direct and control new growth. Shear formal hedges to maintain the desired shape, size and thick appearance.
FERTILIZING
Fertilizer may be broadcast around ornamental landscape plants as the ground begins to thaw.
WATERING
Irrigate newly planted, actively growing ornamentals any time there is less than 1 inch of weekly rainfall. Apply water at the rate of 1 quart per square foot of planting area on poorly drained soils. On well drained soils, use a half-gallon of water per square foot. Newly planted ornamentals not yet actively growing can be injured by overwatering.
PLANT PROTECTION
For newly planted ornamentals, spread a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch over the soil in the bed or around trees. Level winter mulch berms and use the excess to thicken thin spots in beds and around trees for a summer mulch to conserve moisture.
PEST MANAGEMENT
Warning! Not all formulations of all recommended pesticides are labeled for all suggested uses. Buy formulations that are labeled for the specific pest problem. Follow all pesticide label directions and precautions.
When a particular pest becomes active depends on the weather conditions in your area. The pest management guide gives general guidelines for a broad geographic area. Depending on your location, a particular pest may appear early or late within the month(s) in which the pest is listed.
Pest Common Hosts Controls ------------------------------------------------------------ Insects adelgids Douglas fir Diazinon, malathion, Sevin
aphids most ornamentals Diazinon,Orthene, malathion, Sevin
borers birch, dogwood, lilac, mountain ash, oak, poplar, willow
lacebugs amelanchier, azalea, Diazinon, hackberry, malathion, mountain ash, oak, Orthene pieris, rhododendron, sycamore
leaf miners arborvitae, birch, Diazinon, hawthorn, holly, Orthene, Sevin spruce
mealybug taxus malathion, Orthene, superior oil
sawfly pine Orthene
scale ash, euonymus, fruit Orthene, trees, hackberry, malathion, Sevin, hawthorn, hemlock, superior oil juniper, lilac, linden, maple, mountain ash, oak, pachysandra, pine, poplar, rose, spruce, willow
tent caterpillar crabapple, flowering Orthene, Sevin and wild cherry, fruit trees
Diseases anthracnose ash, maple, oak, Benlate sycamore
bacterial blight English ivy, lilac fixed copper
Botrytis blight rose Benlate
canker and rot most ornamentals Prune out infected plant parts.
crown gall euonymus, rose Destroy infected plants.
fire blight cotoneaster, Prune out crab apple, fruit infected plant trees, hawthorn, parts. mountain ash, pyracantha
leaf spot most ornamentals fixed copper
powdery mildew most ornamentals Benlate, sulfur
scab crabapple, fruit Benlate trees, mountain ash, pyracantha
twig blight juniper Benlate
Verticillium wilt most ornamentals no effective chemical or cultural control
wetwood elm, maple no effective chemical or cultural control
