Now that warm weather is here to stay, chores in the yard and garden are really starting to turn up.
Spray roses for insects and diseases. Fertilize monthly with a complete fertilizer or a special rose formulation. You can still plant container grown roses that are flowering.
Late plantings of bedding plants still have time to produce. Select healthy compact plants that aren't flowering yet. Avoid leggy or yellowing plants. also check the plants for insects. You don't want to take any pests home with you.
Don't allow new shrub and tree plantings to dry out. Water regularly during the first year or two after planting to help establish a good root system. New plants need at least an inch of water a week. It is better to water deeply once a week then to water lightly every day. Watering deeply encourages deep, drought-resistant roots.
Mulch around newly planted trees and shrubs. this reduces weeds, reduces fluctuations in soil temperature, retains moisture, prevents damage from lawn mowers and looks attractive.
Erect trellises now for beans and cucumbers, if you are going to train them on trellises later in the season. Homemade trellises can save space for vining vegetables.
Extend your corn harvest by planting successive crops when the previous crop has three to four leaves, or plant early, mid-, and late-maturing varieties all at the same time.
To ensure pollination of sweet corn, plant several rows together in a block rather than in one long row. side-dress with one tablespoon of 34-0-0 fertilizer (ammonium nitrate) per plant or one pint per 100 feet of row when corn is 12 to 18 inches high.
Pumpkins need more space than cucumbers or melons. When the desired number of fruit have set, pinch off the end of the vine to prevent additional fruit production and encourage large fruit size.
Tomato plants can be set deeply in the ground leaving only a little tuft of leaves above the surface. Remove all leaves that would be under the soil. New roots will sprout along the stem. Don't try deep transplanting with other vegetables or flowers.
