Things You Can Do in May to Get Ready for Spring in Northeast Ohio

Time for annuals, hanging baskets and veggies. Custom containers, flats of annuals and tropicals available now!

• Plant/ transplant vegetable seedlings after fear of frost:

  • Use TOMATO-TONE or GARDEN-TONE when planting veggies: added micro-nutrients such as calcium help prevent blossom-end rot and overall plant health.

• Fertilize your herbs and veggies in containers! They are heavy feeders, and the nutrients get used up quickly in pots. Our favorite liquid fertilizers for veggies are FOX FARM products:

  • GROW BIG (vegetative stage)
  • BIG BLOOM (flowering stage)

• Cover blueberries as they begin to bloom to protect from birds.

• After fear of frost, bring out houseplants (do NOT place in direct sun!)

• Fertilize newly planted trees, shrubs and perennials with ROHR’S ALL SEASON

• Trim back spent bulbs when the foliage has turned brown and dies back. If you have to move them, now is the perfect time!

• Start pinching perennial mums back in LATE MAY. This will allow them to bush out and produce more flowers.

• Trim lilacs, azaleas and rhododendrons AFTER they are done flowering.

• WATER EVERY DAY! (Or at least CHECK for water everyday!) Chances are, as the days heat up, your hanging basket will need a GOOD drink at least once a day (Twice a day will come next month!)

  • Note: hanging baskets in the SUN dry out quicker than those in the SHADE. Sometimes you can get away with watering shade baskets every other day.
  • Make sure the water flows through the bottom of the pot. This is how you ensure the water is thoroughly reaching the roots.

• Trim/Deadhead regularly: Hanging baskets such as petunias and million bells can look “straggly” and “leggy” if not trimmed regularly.

  • As your hanging basket starts to fill out and trail, trim 1-2” off a little at a time from underneath.
  • Remove spent flowers to encourage re-blooming.

• Annuals are very heavy feeders! Regular fertilization is key to keeping them looking their best!

  • We recommend JACK’S PETUNIA FEED and JACK’S BLOOM BOOSTER for liquid fertilization and ROHR’S ALL SEASONS granular for continued release.
  • Petunia Feed is high in iron which keeps leaves lush and green. (This is what we use in the siphon in the greenhouse.)

Questions? Email us at [email protected] or call one of our two locations: Portage (330-499-0101) or Everhard (330-492-1243).

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