It is comforting as the weather gets back to normal with temperature fluctuations and rain. The cooler weather helps us to complete our cleanups and installations, the rain to help our clients not have to drag out the hoses to water their beds down. And the bright sunny days are a treat to behold, helping to improve our moods and attitudes. Do you agree?

May Checklist for Gardening

• Keep an eye out for newly germinating weed leaves in beds to tell when to reapply your weed control. Organically, corn gluten can be used or, Preen. Cultivate it in and water after applying.
• Hold off on planting tender annual flowers until after the 14th of this month to limit frost damage in case we get one more hard frost. If you can’t, be prepared to cover with frost blanket or newspapers to protect from low temperatures at night. On the same hand, don’t bring your indoor plants outside yet.
• Early season vegetables such as peas, beets & radishes can be planted outside now.
• Keep your grass cut properly~ that means, no shorter than 2 1/2 inches, with lawn mower blades sharpened at least monthly.
• Lawns can have their first application of fertilizer later this month. New this year according to current law, fertilizers should not include phosphorus; so, there should be a zero in the middle number of the formulation, i.e., 10-10-10 will now be 10-0-10.
• Wait until late May, early June to shear the evergreens of their new growth. Time it when the new sprouts turn darker green. The clipping will stay sharper until August when it will be time to do it again. Of course, frost damaged boxwood can be sheared now for best looks.
• Some junipers are beginning to form their gelatinous orange rust due to the cooler, wet weather we are now experiencing. There really isn’t an effective control for this fungus for the homeowner.

Allow Jacrist To Help You:

- Lawn repair and renovation (Time is running out; needs to be done by end of May)

- Spring cleanup with specialized shrub & tree pruning (Late May starts Mid season evergreen pruning)

- Stone walls, patios & walks (Going on now)

- Patio repair and renovation (Going on now)

- Halogen Low Voltage Landscape Lighting (Going on now)

Gratefully serving our many customers since 1978!

Give us a call to set up your consultation.

You’ve come back and despite the tease of two weeks ago, are adorning our visual setting just beautifully. May this season continue, well watered with moderate temperatures and a bounty of colorful flowers throughout the area. How’s your property looking?

Planning on What to Do Now:

April is actually the first month to get things going properly. Beds need tending, removing winter debris, leaves,  branches and the like but lawns should NOT be fertilized until early next month. Lawns should receive annual grass and weed treatment to control poa annual, crabgrass, etc. using either a chemical formulation or an organic approach using corn gluten. Timing is best while forsythia is still in bloom.

If you are planning on gardening this season, start your seeds this month. Wait until mid month for tomatoes, peppers & squash. Herbs, swiss chard and peas can go in the ground outside, also mid month. Do not put seedlings outdoors without frost protection before the beginning of May, regardless of what the weather may be like in the coming weeks.

Landscaping:

Perennials and shrubs are coming in weekly. If you are planning on installing beds, borders or a complete relandscaping, give us a call to set up an evening appointment to review what you have in mind. We are presently booking mid- May installations at the beginning of April, so don’t wait!

How Jacrist Can Help:

- Lawn repair and renovation

- Spring cleanup with specialized shrub & tree pruning

- Stone walls, patios & walks

- Patio repair and renovation

- Halogen Low Voltage Landscape Lighting

Gratefully serving our many customers since 1978!