Suggested Gardening Tips for May

May in Houston brings intense heat and rapid growth. Houston’s high temperatures and humidity create ideal conditions for rapid plant growth, disease/pest activity and irrigation issues.

• Lawns: Maintain regular mowing. Mow St. Augustine to a height around ~2.5-3” and Bermuda to ~2-3”. Monitor for chinch bugs,… Continue watering deeply.
• Bulbs: Summer-blooming bulbs will begin to emerge. Ensure adequate watering.
• Annuals: Continue regular fertilization. Monitor for pests and diseases. Plant heat tolerant annuals - Zinnias, Vincas, Purslane, Salvia, Marigolds,…
• Perennials: Provide support for tall-growing varieties.
• Roses: Monitor for pest/disease issues. Water deeply.
• Tropical Plants/Shrubs/Tree Care: Monitor for pests and diseases.
• Fruit Trees: Monitor fruit development and pests.Ensure adequate watering.
• Palms: Water deeply and regularly. Check for any signs of heat stress. Fertilize as needed.
• Fertilizer: Consider a bloom booster fertilizer for flowering plants.
• Weed Control: Vigilant weed removal is essential to prevent weeds from competing with desirable plants for water and nutrients. Encourage hand-weeding when possible and try to minimize herbicide use.
• Apply post-emergent herbicides, as needed.
• Pests: Chinch bugs, spider mites, caterpillars,…
• Diseases: Disease (fungal) start to increase, root rot,…
• Watering: Watering starts to become a priority - ~2 inches per week, or more during heat waves. Increase watering as needed. Watering deeply and less frequently.
• Suggestions for your Landscaping Crew: Continue to replenish the mulch as it retains moisture. Ask the crew to monitor soil moisture levels - is a part of the garden getting “too much or too little” water? Suggest to the crew that they regularly check and adjust irrigation systems for optimal performance. Ensure sprinkler heads are directed correctly to avoid water waste. Overwatering is a common and costly mistake and it can kill some plants and make some plant susceptible to diseases.  Ask the crew to regularly inspect plants for signs of infestation or disease. Early detection of plant problems saves time and money on treatments.
• Garden Cost Managment: Irrigation management is crucial due to increasing temperatures and potential drought conditions. Consider using soaker hoses or drip irrigation. These system deliver water directly to the roots, minimizing evaporation.

This past month I released two new gardening videos: 1) The Camellia Forest in Descanso Gardens. The Descanso Gardens in California has the largest collection of camellias in North America and has been designated an “International Camellia Garden on Excellence” by the International Camellia Society. The camilla forest (garden) covers 16 acres and contains approximately 10,000 individual plants and over 600 different species, varieties and cultivar plants. https://youtu.be/-7vdmyyRDBE 2) Visiting the Descanso Gardens in February. The Descanso Gardens is a 150-acre botanical garden located in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in La Cañada Flintridge, California. Within the gardens are nine distinct gardens that showcase large and diverse plant collections, native plants. species plants and plants that were hybridized to grow successfully in the Los Angeles region. https://youtu.be/4iD3fd72tko