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May Gardening - The fruits of your labor

5/24/2012

5 Comments

 
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      May is probably my favorite month in the garden.  The weather has warmed up but I'm not a sweaty mess after being outside.  Everything has started blooming into amazing bursts of color!  These are blossoms from our pomegranate tree which will turn into swollen globes of antioxidants in the fall. 
    You can literally see the fruits of your labor!

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    Behind those blossoms you will start to see fruit growing! I have heard that it is good to water the fruit trees a lot at this point to help the fruit swell up, but that could be a wives' tale.  
    It is the time of year that you should turn back on the sprinklers.  Also, adjust everything to make sure that water is getting to the new season's plants and not the ghost of what was growing last year. 
    

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    There are even some plants in May that have graced us with a harvest!     
    The artichoke plant is starting to make up for all the garden real-estate it's claimed! We have been enjoying about an artichoke a week.  I have to say, I love having a whole side dish in the backyard! It makes dinner much easier. 
   Even my most scraggly, slug eaten potato plants are throwing food my way!

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Planting: 
    As everything begins to grow in and thicken, it is tempting to slip into the hammock and take a snooze.  Definitely do this, but also try and plant one new plant a week.  This way you will continue to have a harvest late into summer an fall.  You will thank me later!!!
    May is a great time to put things like peppers and eggplant in the ground.  My peppers are blossoming and starting to push out tiny little peppers.  Peppers generally like consistent watering.  Be careful not to have soggy soil or the won't thrive.  
May is also when cucumber plants and tomatoes will start to look alive.  Corn, sweet potatoes, snap peas, cantaloupe, and leaks can also be planted in May. 
    If you are planning on putting in squash or gourds for a fall harvest, you should start these seeds indoors in May or June. 

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Weeding:
    We all hate it.  There really isn't anything fun about it, but it must be done.  My husband and I were busy or out of town every weekend in April and the weeds completely took over my garden.  I have spent all of May trying to dig deep in this nasty grass that grows and rescue the struggling plants underneath.  Luckily I have found good things growing! 
   Try and get the weeds up whenever you have a few minutes here and there. This way your new seedlings aren't struggling for sunlight and the weeds aren't sucking up all the nutrients in the soil.
    Some of the winter plants and lettuces may have gone to seeds.  When these plants bolt, like you see in the picture of my chard, rip them out.  They use a lot of the plant's energy to do this and they will taste bitter and gross. Chop them, compost them, and wait for the to serve you next year as dirt! Let me know how your garden is growing! I love comments!

5 Comments
Rebekah
5/24/2012 02:20:51 pm

We only have two tomato plants this year since we moved and our back yard is unfinished! Your beautiful garden is making me jealous :-D Great tips as always. Are you looking forward to your summer trip?

Reply
Robin
5/29/2012 01:02:52 pm

I am definitely looking forward to Costa Rica! I have about one more week of school left first, so I am distracted.
Enjoy those two tomato plants! Those are the best things to grow at home anyways. I am sure you have your hands full with the kiddos. Maybe in the fall plant something like garlic that you put in the ground and forget about it until it is time to eat it!

Reply
Kurstin
5/25/2012 12:33:10 am

I need to plant my cucumber & tomatoe plants still in pots (grown from seeds) am wondering if is better to plant them next to a trellis in our backyard next to vines that go over brick wall (indirect light) or at the side of our fence next to raspberries and blueberries..... more light in this location? love reading about gardening it inspires me to work on our garden!

Reply
Robin
5/29/2012 01:06:42 pm

Tomatoes definitely need full sun. The more hot sun they get in the summer the more tomatoes they will produce. The cucumber doesn't need as much heat, but of course they thrive in the sunlight. Tomatoes do well when they are supported from all sides, so if you don't have a fence you can plant them by, you can surround them by their own little mini fence. I am not sure what the material is called that I've used but it is like a wire grid, bent into a cylinder shape. I actually have a few old ones I am not using if you want them. Let me know!

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MyPaleoDiet link
9/30/2012 03:24:24 pm

I truly enjoy your website and the breath of information is impressive and very informative. Thank you and more power! - Brian

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