The last month of spring is coming and it would be good to plan in advance the work in the country in May, so as not only not to forget anything, but also to have time to enjoy the beautiful weather and nature coming to life before our eyes. The proposed list of works is not a dogma, but only an approximate guide to action. After all, the weather and temperature conditions of your region can make their own adjustments to the plans of summer residents.
May gardening calendar
As a rule, by the beginning of May, the main plantings of garden trees and shrubs, as well as grafting by the “split” and “bark” methods, are completed. Tree trunks should already be protected from the burns of the active spring sun with whitewash. What kind of work should be included in the gardener’s plan for May?
Fertilizing garden plants in May
To maintain the strength of plants, they need to be fed with nitrogen-containing mineral fertilizer or liquid organic matter. To do this, along the perimeter of the crown projection or a little closer to the trunk, annular grooves up to 15 cm deep should be dug. It is here that the suction part of the plant’s root system is located.
If it is not possible to dig grooves, 9-10 holes can be made for top dressing to a depth of 15-18 cm along the perimeter of the crown perimeter. Shrubs are fed directly into the thicket formed around the bush.
Popular types of top dressing:
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organic fertilizer. Knead a solution of 5 buckets of water for 1 bucket of manure. Add 2 kg of wood ash. Insist fertilizer for a week. Consumption rate — 2-3.5 liters under one tree.
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Mineral supplement. A mixture of 50 g of ammophoska and 250 g of ash is added to 1 m2 of the near-stem circle.
Before and after top dressing, the earth must be watered. Wet soil ensures the timely supply of nutrients to the plant. Grooves or holes after fertilization must be repaired. Fertilizer should not remain on the soil surface. This work is recommended to be done early in the morning or in the evening.
Control of garden pests and diseases
May is the time of lush flowering of fruit trees and shrubs. Therefore, without stopping pest control, exclude insecticides from your arsenal. They can harm the bees. Use biologics, such as lepidocid. It is believed that this drug does not affect bees, but effectively fights caterpillars of various species. It is better to use it in the evening hours.
Pay attention to solutions of hom (40 g) or chorus (2-3 g) in 10 liters of water. Both of these solutions are used to protect stone fruit plants from moniliosis, scab, coccomycosis and perforated spotting (clasterosporiasis).
Don’t forget to kill weeds
Weeds should be fought not only because they waste the nutrient resources of the soil. They can become a haven for meadow moth, cutworm caterpillars, cicada larvae and spider mites.
Digging the trunk circles with turning over the layers of the earth helps to reduce the number of weeds. Along with a decrease in the number of weeds, digging improves the air permeability of the soil, helps to retain moisture and reduces the number of pests that have overwintered in the ground.
Don’t forget that May is a great time to transplant perennials and tidy up your lawns.
Making a gardener’s calendar for May
In May, the time comes for decisive action, since there is nowhere else to postpone planting and there is no need.
Let’s start sowing in open ground
In some regions, May daytime air temperatures can exceed +20ºC. This raises a number of problems. First, the open ground dries up until the seeds are saturated with moisture. And, secondly, in the soil covered with a film, the temperature and humidity can significantly exceed the norm, which leads to the death of seedlings.
Our advice will help you solve these problems.
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We dig up the beds and form sowing grooves on them.
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We spill the grooves with warm water in 2-3 doses, each time waiting until the water is completely absorbed into the soil.
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We spread the seeds at the bottom of the grooves. It is advisable to lay out one seed at a time, even if they are small: this way we will save on thinning and on the seed itself.
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We close up the grooves using the soil from the row spacing. So that an air bag does not form above the seeds, you need to slightly compact the soil with a rake.
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The surface of the bed can be mulched with humus or covered with non-woven material.
It is impossible to water the beds on top of the crops, since the crust formed in this case will make it difficult for the sprouts to reach the surface, but will help the moisture leave the soil faster.
Everything is sown in May: beans, melons, corn, fragrant greens, carrots, beets and other crops. At the beginning of the month, cucumbers can be sown under temporary shelter or in cassettes, so that when the first true leaf appears, they can be transplanted into open ground. Cucumbers grow quickly and you should not miss the moment of processing them with fitoverm. It will protect cucumbers from damage and ensure their high productivity.
The right time to plant seedlings
When, according to the gardener’s plan for May, is it planned to plant ready-made seedlings in open ground? The choice of a specific date largely depends on the weather. Usually, during the May holidays, pre-hardened tomato seedlings are planted. As insurance against return frosts that occur during the flowering period of bird cherry, shelter should be provided.
Under favorable weather conditions, tomato seedlings planted in May will grow and bear fruit better than plantings of subsequent periods. After the holidays, seedlings of peppers, eggplants and cucumbers are transferred to the open ground.
Measures to protect seedlings
Spraying with a solution of zircon (4 drops per 1 liter of water), which is carried out either in the morning or in the evening, will help to adapt the planting material to new conditions. Potato seedlings are also sprayed with zircon (4 drops per 3 liters of water).
To enhance plant immunity and improve growth, phytosporin — M is used. In a solution of this drug, seedlings are soaked for 1-2 hours before planting, and they are also subjected to repeated preventive treatment with a break of 10-15 days.
Lunar calendar and its application
Quite often, summer residents compare their actions with the lunar calendar. We remind you of the general principles laid down in this calendar:
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on the new moon (the first three days) nothing can be planted or transplanted;
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in the phase of the growing moon, the best days come for planting plants, the fruits of which ripen above the soil surface, and for flowers;
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on two days of the full moon (before and after the full moon) — a good time for feeding, weeding, spraying;
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in the phase of the waning moon, root crops and bulbous plants are planted.
Guided by these principles, favorable days in May for planting a particular crop can be calculated independently.
We draw your attention to the fact that in the Becker catalog you will definitely find wonderful planting material and various preparations for plants. It is very convenient to buy everything together from Becker — a reliable seller with a good reputation.