By Mary Jane Frogge, Extension Associate in Lancaster County
Watering roses with soaker hoses or drip irrigation will reduce the spread of black spot disease.
Plant ground covers under shade trees that do not allow enough sunlight to grow grass. Vinca minor or English ivy are ground cover plants that grow well in shade.
Mulch around newly planted trees and shrubs. This practice reduces weeds, controls fluctuations in soil temperature, retains moisture, prevents damage from lawn mowers and looks attractive.
Stay out of the garden when the vegetable plant leaves are wet. Walking through a wet garden spreads disease from one plant to another.
Four or five layers of newspaper will serve as an effective mulch in the garden. Cover it with grass clippings or wood bark like cedar to prevent it from blowing away.
Put tools away at the end of the day. Clean them and hang them up so they are ready to use and easy to find when you need them.
Plan a landscaping project on paper first. Do not over plant. Be sure you know the mature size of each plant and allow for growth.
Grass clippings can be used as a mulch in flower beds and vegetable gardens if allowed to dry well before use. Never use clippings from a lawn that has been treated with a herbicide.
In May, plant marigold, petunia, ageratum and begonia transplants. All are good border plants.
Cabbage loopers and imported cabbage worms are green caterpillars. They eat large holes in the leaves of plants in the cabbage family. For control, caterpillars can be picked off by hand or sprayed with Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), a natural, non-toxic preparation available by various trade names.
Harvest rhubarb by cutting or by grasping the stalk and pulling up and gently to one side.
To grow annuals in containers on the patio, use a light weight soil mixture. Keep the plants well watered because the soil dries out fast. Apply a water soluble fertilizer according to package directions every 2 weeks.