May is all about getting everything in the ground! Those long season crops like peppers, corn, and tomatoes can all go in safely now.
You can keep starting okra, squash, cucumber, melons, and watermelons indoors. Sow vining crops in individual peat pots since these do not transplant well if roots are disturbed.
Begin hardening off frost-tender plants in early May, including vegetables, herbs, and flowers that have been started indoors.
By the second week of May, it should be safe to plant almost everything outdoors. Houseplants, too, can be moved to a shady spot in the yard for their summer vacations.
Keep all direct-sown veggies well watered out in the garden. This will help with germination and establishment. A regular watering early in the morning will prevent disease. Plants like a schedule, i’m not saying if your plant is drooping don’t water it, but use your best judgment, don’t water the foliage if possible! I have found that drip tape works well for me, individual emitters work well too.
Sow seeds outdoors of beans, okra, squash, sweet corn, Southern peas, asparagus beans, and watermelon. Plant only partial rows of beans and sweet corn so that successive plantings can be done every week or two. Sweet corn should be planted in paired blocks for good pollination.
Plant sweet potato slips after the soil has warmed!
Directly sow sunflowers, nasturtiums, marigolds, borage, basil, and other warm season flowers and herbs around the garden.
Have a trellis system in place for your tomato garden before the plants begin to sprawl. I use T posts and strong string.
Be vigilant for pests! Cut worms, tomato hornworms, squash bugs, aphids, etc!
Be sure to harvest leafy greens often because they will soon bolt.
Joshua Franklin is a master gardener who resides in Greene County. He is a member of the East Side Garden Club and its entities. He can be contacted at JoshuaFranklin@gmail.com .
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