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Make a list of all the plants you already own and when they bloom
Author of the article:
Denise Hodgins • Special to The London Free Press
Published May 31, 2025 • Last updated 2 days ago • 2 minute read
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Horticultural technicians with the City of St. Thomas, Christina Sokay (left) and Akadia Ndur weed a garden at Waterworks Park in St. Thomas Ontario on Tuesday May 13, 2025. (Derek Ruttan/The London Free Press)Article content
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I know why they call this month May: It may rain, it may snow, the temperature may be 5C or it may be 30C. Anything is possible in May.
All the plants are already, but even though they have grown so much so quickly, they still need to be fertilized. What energy the plant has stored through the winter will be gone very quickly. I use a water soluble fertilizer, but other gardeners use manure or granular, slow-release fertilizer. Whatever you choose, it is important to provide it often.
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Do not panic if you have not yet planted your garden. I have not and will probably not get to it for another week or two myself. The garden center will not run out of plants between now and when you get there.
It is important to do some planning. Bulbs have pretty much finished blooming and peonies have not quite yet started. There is a real art to figuring out how to have colour in your garden all the time.
Most shrubs and perennials only bloom for about 14 days at any one time. When you are planning and planting your garden it is worth some time to research when plants bloom and for how long.
I suggest you make a list of all the plants you already own and when they bloom. From this list you will be able to figure out when you have lots of plants in boom and when there are few or no blooms. Once you know when you need something in bloom you can research what plants bloom at that time and which ones will fit into your style of gardening.
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This is a great opportunity to try new, different plants in your garden. Some plants you may have overlooked because you have never seen them in bloom may be an option. It is often hard buy plants that will bloom late in the season when you are designing a garden in May.
Gardening is a journey. It is never a destination. Every year is a new adventure. Enjoy the journey as it happens.
Denise Hodgins is a professional gardening coach in London. Send your questions to Diggendirt@denisehodgins.com
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