May Gardening Tips for the Southwest
Should I plant trees this month?
How can I prevent my trees from dying in the hot temperatures?
Today is the first Monday of the May and we here at Rootwell are kicking it off by publishing one of our regional gardening tips articles. These articles are published every Monday and provide gardening tips for every part of the county.
Each Monday, we focus on a different part of the country. We’ve broken the United States into five different regions. That way, if there aren’t enough Mondays, we’ll publish on the first Friday of the month like we did this month.
If you live in the southwest part of the country, make sure to check out the list below for all your May gardening tips.
Landscaping Tips:
- Plant trees and shrubs this month. Better Homes and Gardens recommends planting trees like the desert willow, palo verde, and live oak.
- One great way to prevent your trees from dying is by installing aeration tubes. Aeration tubers are a direct-to-root watering system that encourages deeper root growth. The deeper the root growth then causes a stronger tree and more above ground growth.
Fruit and Vegetable Tips:
- As temperatures rise, the harvest of your cool season crops will become less and less. Once you’ve harvested the cool season crops, start planting warm season crops in their place.
- Start planting warm season crops like sweet potatoes, tomatoes, summer squash and peppers.
Perennial and Annual Tips:
- According to the Old Farmers’ Almanac, one of the best things you can do for your newly planted annuals and perennials is to pinch back growth. By doing this, you are helping the plants develop more flowers.
- Would you like to start planting? This is the perfect month to plant your annuals and your perennials.
- Here is a list of some great heat-loving annuals: zinnia, celosia, marigold and cosmos.
General Gardening Tips:
- Make sure to add mulch to any of your more heat sensitive plants. This helps by keeping the roots cool and preventing evaporation.
- Would you love to have more butterflies in your garden? Check out our article, How to Beautify Your Garden with Butterflies for tips on doing just that.
Summary
Whether you are looking to get out there planting or simply trying to find out how to prevent your trees from dying, this article has the tips for you for free. If you want more, make sure to come back every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
