North Florida Month-to-Month Gardening Guide   May 2007  by Nancy George

I have found, through years of practice, that people garden in order to make something grow; to interact with nature; to share, to find sanctuary, to heal, to honor the earth, to leave a mark.  Through gardening, we feel whole as we make own personal work of art upon our land.” – Julie Moir Messervy, The Inward Garden.

What to Buy / Plant

One of the great rewards of gardening is flower arrangements.  Plant flowers and foliage that produce the look you love.  Try exotic looks with anthurium or gingers and cast iron.  Practice the ancient Chinese principle using only 2 harmonious colors and grass.  Purchase such perennials as alstroemeria, Iris, liatris, sunflower, hydrangea, geranium, and goldenrod.  Everlastings like strawflower and yarrow, and bulbs such as hurricane lily, tuberose, dahlia, and gladiolus, which can all be planted now.  You’ll need greenery, for example:  pittosporum, palm fronds, ferns, and hosta.  Fillers such as curly willow, ivy, asparagus and artemisia.  And of course, the quintessential rose.

Prune/ Propagate

It is essential to tend the garden.  Like people, plants are happier when cared for and are more appealing when groomed.  Pinch, prune and remove dead blossoms.  Use your foot to tamp down soil around the base.  Propagate zinnia, sunflower and cosmos seeds, which can be sown directly in the ground all summer.

Watering / Fertilizing

Water frequently and mulch any new plantings to retain moisture.  Feed bedding plants regularly to keep them at their peak.  Light applications of organic fertilizer every six weeks will keep plants healthy and happy during the growing season.

Edibles

Continue to plant warm season veggies, which include tomato, squash, okra, peppers, southern peas, sweet potatoes, butter beans, pole beans, onions, cucumbers, melons, and such herbs as basil, oregano, thyme, lavender, and mint.  Develop larger, tastier fruit on trees by thinning 3 – 6 inches apart.

Pests

May is the time to look out for plant pests and diseases.  Control pests, and fight ailments by discouraging fungus in your garden; remove yellow leaves from plants, check for insects, wash foliage occasionally, and rake and remove leaf debris.

For Fun

Pressed flowers can be used in a variety of projects including homemade greeting cards.  To make a press, cut two 10"x12" pieces of 1/2" Plywood.  Measure in 1" from each corner and drill a 5/16" hole.  Remove rough edges with sandpaper.  Design and varnish the outside, if you like.  You’ll need 10 sheets of card board and 20 sheets of blotting paper cut to 9" X 11".  Trim back 3/4" on all corners of the sheets.  Lay one board on a flat surface, place one sheet of cardboard and two sheets of blotting paper, then another sheet of cardboard.  Continue to lay the sheets on top in this order.  Lay the flowers on the blotting paper and cover with the other sheet of blotting paper followed by the cardboard.  Replace the top board.  Insert four 4" bolts, flat washers and wing nuts through the holes from the outside, tighten evenly by hand.  Keep in a cool dry place for a few weeks.  Store pressed flowers in a box separated with tissue paper until needed.  The presses make great gifts, too.

This article originally published on May 15, 2007.

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