10 May 2026 Plant Talk with Brett Battle: The month of May brings the garden to life

May is the time of year when we transition from cool early-spring weather and cooler soil temperatures to warmer-season gardening. With warmer weather, those new landscape projects come to the forefront.

At this time, we focus on planting summer annuals and perennials, along with prioritizing watering, mulching and pest management. It is also a good time to fertilize if you haven’t already and to trim those early spring blooming plants.

Vegetable Gardens: It is time to plant warm-season crops like beans, peas, okra, watermelons, pumpkins, cucumbers, cantaloupes and sweet potatoes. Also make sure you keep your tomatoes, peppers and onions well-fertilized, especially as they set fruit.

Flowers and Landscaping: Plant your heat-loving annuals like vinca, marigolds, zinnias and lantana. Now that the ground is warm, these plants will like the warmer soil. Water regularly but do not keep them too wet.

Pruning: It is time to prune all early-spring-blooming plants to shape and form them. This would be azaleas, forsythia or anything that bloomed in March, April.

House Plants: It is a good time to move your larger house plants outside. Place them in a shady spot, as they are like us — they haven’t seen the sun in a long time, and if you place them in full sun, they will sunburn. When moving them outside, give them a thorough washdown with the hose to remove all the dust. Fertilize them and make sure to water more consistently. Also, monitor for any pest treatment.

Water Management: May can be humid and rainy but prepare for any dry spells. Also, understand that a small amount of rain does not give deep and efficient watering. Any newly planted plants, even shrubs and trees, need consistent water. When the plants were at the nursery, they were watered every day. Now that you have them in the ground, they will more than likely need water every two or three days.

Mulch: As mentioned in the previous issue, mulch is very important for water retention and to keep weeds suppressed. If you have changed your mulch beds to decorative gravel, you will need to water more often because the gravel holds more heat.

Pests: We are in humid months now, and pests become a much bigger issue. Watch your vegetable beds for worms, aphids and whitefly. Also, it is a good time to scout your yard for fire ants and treat them as you find them.

Fungus: It is a good time to start to treat tomato plants, roses and other plants susceptible to fungus. May can be a wetter month, and blight on tomatoes, roses and some perennials can show up. Stay ahead of it by applying a fungicide before it appears and ruins your beautiful plants. Preventative care is always easier, whether it is treating a fungus or pest.

May can be a fun time in the garden, but it can also be a frustrating time if you do not plan ahead. Scout and monitor all your endeavors. Remember, water becomes far more important as it heats up at this time of year, and all new plant material needs you to supply it with that water. Be diligent, and you will have a successful and beautiful garden and landscape.