Spring is always a time of transitioning from winter to summer and this year has been no different. The weeks of warm weather have teased us into thinking we were pretty much past the last frost, but then reality scared us … maybe me especially … my casualties were limited, but there were some where the wind removed the protection. And so we go on.
The new growth called candles have fully extended on mugho pines, so now is when you need to shear that new growth by at least half to keep the plant shape mounded.
I think we will see regular peonies bloom for Memorial Day this year ... consistent with our two-week jump on the season. Yes, there will be ants on those buds as they begin opening and the ants have nothing to do with the flower opening. There is a bit of plant sap on the sepals of the flowers that the ants regard a tasty treat ... that’s the short answer to their presence. Another thing with the peonies ... if the leaves turn a dusty gray in the summer, that discoloration is caused by powdery mildew. This fungus has to be prevented by spray applications that start before the fungus is present. Once the infection becomes apparent, spray applications will not be effective, the reason being that sprays only protect new growth from becoming infected, and peonies do not produce any new seasonal growth after their initial spring growth.
The lilac bloom is finishing, so this is the time to prune them. Bridal wreath spirea and weigela bloom will follow, so their pruning is next. On both shrubs, always remove the oldest stems to encourage new growth, thus renewing the shrub. Cut them back far enough to give them room to grow. The new growth will develop next year’s flower buds as they mature in the fall.
As you plant your vegetable garden, be sure to sketch a map of where you will plant each variety of vegetable. This will help you in the rotation of crops for the next season and will also help you determine which variety of vegetable you find has the best flavor for you.
There are dozens of tomato varieties, but I happen to especially like the favor and growth habit of Champion, Celebrity, Big Beef, and Whopper.
Crop rotation is important to minimize disease and to maintain healthy nutrient availability. Peas and beans are legumes, so they put nitrogen into the soil, which is an advantage for some crops, not so much for others. Without a map, we forget … or maybe just I forget.