Vegetable gardening, Pruning and more!
In most areas of the country, May is the perfect month to begin your veggie garden. Hopefully you worked the soil or kept it covered for the winter. If not, fear not! It’s never to late. The main ingredient is good organic material tilled into the soil that you already have. Since very few of us have the perfect soil, I highly recommend this approach. Of course, you need to purchase high quality vegetable plants as well. Also remember to keep adequate water and mulch around the base of your plants. This will help maintain the correct moister level needed for optimum growth. Finally, I have found that water-soluble fertilizer works wonders in my garden.
For you folks with plants that bloom in the spring the ideal time to prune is after they finish blooming (makes sense). However, we all have other priorities in life and we sometimes forget. Don’t panic! In most areas there is still time. If the pruning is done by the first of July you are still going to be in great shape. Remember, to give your plants enough of a haircut for shaping. Try not to prune back to a nub. Don’t laugh I’ve seen this countless times.
Last but not least. Please remember that your precious plants will need a new layer of your favorite mulch for the upcoming season. I find that a depth of at least 3 inches seems to serve my purposes quite well. This will really help with weed control, as well as, keeping moister around the root system during the hot season to come.
Weekend Gardener/ Mike Wilson