Northwest May Garden To-Do List

Now that May ’s affectionate atmospheric condition is upon us , it ’s time to think about the come warm weather of late springtime and summer in the Pacific Northwest . I surmise this year we will all be spending a lot of metre in our gardens and patios enjoying all the hard body of work we have put into them . Here are a few former leaping chore to facilitate you get your garden look even better .

pop out growing dahlias . Dahlias ( Dahliaspp . and cvs . , Zones 7–11 ) are a harbinger of summer , especially here in the Pacific Northwest . The various colour , embodiment , and sizes are hard to number by from any other plant . We typically have a warm recent - summer growing time of year here , and those amazing bloom sure as shooting make for beautiful display in our garden and as gelded flowers in bouquets . Dahlias in the ground require excellent drainage . One way I ’ve grown them in the past is by putting them in containers that I range in my repeated perimeter . I simply put the container of dahlias I have grown or purchased in the territory . The drainage works well in the container , and the containers are sluttish to remove from the border once the dahlia have start to become flat back in the late fall . No matter where you place them , ensure to plant them with a sturdy support cane of bamboo or the alike , specially on the large dinner - scale dahlias . I have even ascertain them develop in tomato plant John Milton Cage Jr. .

rehearse practiced bulb after - care . Your other leaping bulb are now starting to fade and go dormant . There are a few things you may do to assist them reload for the next growing season . Many Narcissus pseudonarcissus and tulip that have set yield will drop a lot of vim ripening those semen and may commence to slowly disappear from your garden . One good garden chore to do now is to deadhead those bloom stalks and let those plants put their vitality into bulk up the bulbs and creating start . Simply snap off the fruits with your finger’s breadth , or cut them off with some pruning hook if you prefer . Do not be tempt to withdraw the spent leaf of those electric-light bulb until it is wholly dried up and brown . Some people finger the motivation to pleach or tie up the fading leaf ; that is unnecessary . merely permit it die back naturally . Bulbs need to get as much energy back as they can so they can please us next spring . you could always plan your garden so that the summertime perennials produce and cross up that evanesce foliage . you may also put small bamboo markers in the area in which you have those bulbs planted to guarantee you do not accidently jab into them while planting some other plant later on in the time of year , when they have completely evaporate and gone dormant .

It ’s time for tomatoes . Gardeners know that abode - grown tomatoes are the best . Now is also the time to found your tomato starts . Many nurseryman are tempted to pelt along to plant tomato plant , but it ’s always best to look until the outside temperature are around 50F ° /10C ° . They too are late - time of year plant like our beloved Dahlia pinnata , and there are almost as many varieties . There are so many to take from , how do you even start ? First , let ’s learn a picayune act about tomato . There are determinate tomato , which arise to a sure height / size and are moneyed with fruit at the same time . These are often used for make tomato sauces and for dismiss . The other eccentric is undetermined . These unity keep growing and fruiting all time of year long ; think of them as vines — they grow and grow and grow . Some of those include the “ never to make it in the house ” cherry tomato and the fancy heirloom slicing tomatoes . This twelvemonth I am trying the following cultivars : ‘ Cosmonaut Volkov ’ is a ruffianly coolheaded - weather condition variety that farm small crimson beefsteak slicing tomato plant . ‘ Jaune Flammée ’ is a modest orange fruiting variety great for salad that is both sweet and tart . The heirloom assortment ‘ Green Zebra ’ , with yellow yield and green stripes , is also seraphic and tart . ‘ Yellow Pear ’ is one I ’ve reserved for snacking on while horticulture . I can not wait for this yr ’s harvest . Still need help choosing varieties for your garden ? Listenherefor recommendations from theFine Gardeningeditors .

hold your irrigation system . The weather in the Pacific Northwest is typically red-hot and dry in the summer . So now is the time to prepare for the piddle indigence of your garden during the summer . If you have a build - in irrigation system of rules , turn it back on for the season and make necessary repair and adjustments before you really demand to use it . I do not have a built - in irrigation organization , so I use a few unlike methods to keep my garden water and count secure when the heat of summer sets in . This meter of yr , I inspect all my hoses , sprinkler , and attachments for leaks . A quick and easygoing washer variety can often alleviate a dripping hose and economise precious water system for the garden . I also practice alky hoses in my garden . I pin the hoses down with landscape painting fabric pin to admit them in place . After installation I check coverage , correct as needed , and shroud with mulch . The mulch does the double caper of covering the hoses and helping to retain the moisture from lacrimation . If you are feeling adventurous , there are some nice drip - irrigation system available to install yourself this leaping . However , I find that hand - watering my garden , mostly the containers and vegetable beds , is very remedial and a corking way to watch out and observe what is run short on .

verbatim - sow strong - season veg . If you are planning on raise any late summer and accrue vegetables , now is a great time to sow in those directly into the garden . Peas and beans , which are easy to plant and develop , are a majuscule option for first - time gardener as well as nestling . Many germ suppliers are running suddenly of availability now , so if you have older seeds , try planting them . Many are still executable after several years . Make plans with your gardening champion and to exchange seeds .

Focus on what you’re able to control . Most local nurseries and garden centers are brim with tomato starts and other plants . This year is different , of course of action , and many are offering by - engagement shopping or call - in / email tell on with curbside pickup . rent ’s get out there and plunk for our local greenhouse and garden centers ! Gardeners are the ultimate optimist ; we plant seeds and bulbs in the ground and promise … and roll in the hay something unspoilt will fall out . So get out there and garden !

— Jason Jorgensen is a landscape house decorator in Seattle .

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Yellow Pear’ tomatoes

This year one of the tomatoes in my garden is ‘Yellow Pear’. May is the perfect month for planting them! Photo: Steve Aitken

‘Mistery Day’ dahlia

It’s finally warm enough to plant dahlias. Pictured: ‘Mistery Day’ dahlia. Photo: Michelle Gervais

seed heads on daffodils

You can pinch the seed heads off your daffodils and other spring-blooming bulbs to direct energy toward preparing for next year’s flowering. Photo: Jason Jorgensen

different varieties of tomato

There are almost as many different varieties of tomato as there are types of gardeners. Do some research to find the perfect match. Photo: Jason Jorgensen

use landscape fabric pins to hold hoses in place.