Best Flowers to Plant in May

During May both gardeners and gardens are ready for planting. The soils are warm, the temperature is comfortable and the air is fragrant with spring buds. It is the perfect time for getting out in the garden and starting new flowering plants. A number of annuals, perennials, herbs, shrubs and trees will thrive if planted during this late-spring and early summer season.

Annuals
Warm season annuals like begonias, geraniums, marigolds and petunias will provide color and drama throughout the growing season if planted in May. They are also suitable for container gardening. Begonias come in a myriad of colors and there are varieties of begonia that grow in shade to full sun. Popular plants like geraniums can be used outdoors as annuals in the garden, in hanging baskets, in pots and in window boxes. Indoors, they flourish in sunny locations. Marigolds planted in May will present a tidy golden and crimson border with the added benefit of repelling many garden pests. Petunias also create lovely borders in even the smallest areas.

Perennials
Flowering perennials such as African daisy, delphinium and fuchsia are well-suited for May planting. Varieties of African daisy bloom in colors including white, pink, yellow and gold. They do well in sunny areas of the garden or in pots in a sunny corner of the patio. The blue, violet and white blossoms of the delphinium do best in cooler climates (Zones 2-7) and will begin to lose vigor after two or three years. Fuchsia's pinkish to purple flowers are frequently seen in containers or hanging baskets. Considered cold-hardy, it prefers cool temperatures (Zones 4-6) and does well if planted in semi-shaded areas.

Herbs
Many popular culinary herbs such as cilantro, thyme and sage produce attractive flowers and can be planted in May. Cilantro grows well throughout spring and summer. Its leaves when picked early provide delicious seasoning for Mexican and Chinese cookery. When it has produced its flowers, though, the leaves are too strongly flavored for most dishes. The delicate purple flowers of the thyme plant are a lovely bonus in the garden or container. Thyme is very hardy and will grow in most conditions including hydroponically. Sage leaves are prized for seasoning poultry and meats, sausages and cheese. Its purple, blue and burgundy flowers are the legendary landscape decorator.

Shrubs and Trees
Flowering shrubs and trees such as spirea, dogwood and hydrangea are an easy-maintenance addition to the landscape and do well when planted in May. Spireas are small to medium sized deciduous shrubs that produce cascades of pink, red, yellow, and white flowers in spring and summer, and can be planted in both spring and fall. The flowering dogwood, state flower of several southern states, grows wild in wooded areas but is enjoyable to cultivate in the suburban yard. Hydrangeas grow almost unattended in the garden. Their big white, blue or pink blossoms provide an abundance of cut flowers all during the summer will into the fall.

Source: http://www.ehow.com/info_8362797_flowers-plant-may.html

May Garden Tips

May is a busy time for gardeners. In most regions, the danger of frost should be past and the weather nice enough to work outside. By this time, the flowering bulbs you planted in the fall should be flowering. Prepare your flower and vegetable gardens for the summer harvest. Timing is important to successful gardening, so know what tasks to perform in May.
Weeding
Start weeding perennial flowerbeds. There may be small seedlings mixed among the weeds that you don't want to pull. Pull what you know are weeds and add a layer of top soil. Do additional weeding when the plants are bigger. Pull the weeds around your early flowering bulbs and spring vegetables.

Divide Plants
Perennials grow every year and may eventually become too big for the space in your garden. Inspect your perennial beds and divide winter iris and late-summer and fall perennials, such as delphinium. Create new flower gardens with the divided plants, while keeping the original plants healthy with expanded room. As beets and lettuce get thicker, thin them out by separating plants from a cluster. Move the small plants to other parts of the garden that aren't densely crowded. Cut off small lettuce plants to eat. New lettuce grows in the place of harvested lettuce.

Mulching
Mulch helps to retain soil moisture and warmth and prevents weed growth. It also makes a garden look better. All the flowerbeds in your garden should receive a few inches of fresh mulch. Mulch new trees and shrubs, as well as the space between rows of our vegetable garden. Add fresh straw among strawberry plants to keep the berries clean and retain moisture in the soil.

Harden Off
Harden off your indoor starter plants, such as tomatoes and peppers. Leave them outdoors in the sun during the day but bring them inside at night. This helps them adapt to outdoor conditions.

Planting
Sow outdoor vegetables in late May or when your area is at least two weeks past frost danger. Plant anything from runner beans to parsnips. Leave plenty of room between each planting to give the plants space to grow. Transplant hardened off indoor starter plants at this time. Allow at least 18 inches between tomato plants that will be staked and about 36 inches between the plants if you use a cage. Plant herbs. Some herbs, such as mint, may quickly take over the garden. Keep them in a large container.

Potatoes
Potatoes are traditionally planted Good Friday weekend, which falls between late March and mid-April. By May, you should be able to see potato shoots through the soil. Use a garden hoe to pull soil up in a mound around each potato plant to guard them against light.

Source: http://www.ehow.com/info_8012524_may-garden-tips.html