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Gardening To-Do’s – Dry Continental Regions – May

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What to do in your garden during May

In dry continental and highveld, summer-rainfall regions do the following the garden.

Plant and Sow

Annuals

Sow all summer-flowering annuals like:

Vegetables

Sow vegetables like:

Garden Maintenance

General garden maintenance

  • Stop feeding roses to prevent lush young growth from appearing; they should harden off for winter.
  • Protect young and tender plants from cold winds.
  • Water the lawn once a month.
  • Once a week, water AzaleasCamellias and shrubs from the winter-rainfall areas.
  • Water fruit trees, vines and berries well once every three weeks.
  • Plant Ranunculus and Anemone bulbs.
  • Plant out container-grown trees and shrubs.
  • Spray apples, pears and quinces against codling moth, and peaches against fruit fly.
  • Water citrus trees well every three weeks and spray against citrus psylla; water other fruit trees thoroughly every second week.
  • Keep the soil well mulched.
  • Consider installing a rainwater tank. Many container-grown plants do best if watered with rainwater.
  • Stake Dahlias and water and fertilize them regularly.
  • Mulch roses well.
  • Cut back Chrysanthemums.
  • Deadhead roses regularly.
  • Sow lawn seed.
  • Transplant Primula seedlings.
  • Prepare trenches for sweet peas.
  • Feed and mulch Hydrangea, and remove the dead flowerheads from the bushes.
  • Spray apricotscherriesnectarines, peaches and plums against fruit fly; and apples, pears and quinces against codling moth.
  • Water citrus trees every three weeks in dry weather, and spray with insecticide.
  • Feed fruit trees after the fruit are harvested

For May maintenance tips on watering, pruning, pests and disease, fertilizing and much more visit our countrywide maintenance guide.

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