During May about 3 to 4 inches of rainfall is anticipated…and definitely hoped for. If you’re on the irrigation system, the water level in the aquifer will have dropped to its lowest and salts become an even bigger problem in May. They also accumulate in the soil. We count on the rains to not only dilute the water source, but also to flush some of the salts from the soil.
As for temperature predictions, historically the highs will be in the 90s, give or take 5 degrees.
MONTHLY CHECKLIST:
• Help out your plants with organic mulch, keeping it away from the stems or trunks of plants.
• The pruning you did in March and April produces tender young foliage…just right for aphids, mealy bugs, scale etc. Spray with Organocide or a similar horticultural control, following the directions. A non-organic product that provides systemic control for up to 12 months with a single application is Bayer’s Advanced Tree & Shrub Insect Control. It is mixed with water and poured into the ground around the plant. The roots soak up the insecticide into the leaves. Any insect that sucks or chews on the leaves will die.
• Black sooty mold on a plant’s leaves indicates that plant or the one above or next to it has a sucking insect feasting away. The insect secretes honeydew which then attracts ants and the mold is the result from the honeydew.
• Oleander caterpillars will be active. They are orange with black tufts of hair all over. Do not touch them! They are poisonous. Spray/dust the plant very thoroughly with BT (Bacillus thuringensis), Dipel or Thuricide every 10 days. The caterpillars can quickly defoliate the shrubs. React ASAP in order to get the youngest instar (phase) of the caterpillar.
• Herbicides can burn turf when the air temperature is above 85 degrees.
• In order to take advantage of the summer rains, hold off planting trees and palms until the rainy season, June – October. Even then some supplemental hose watering will most likely be required.
• Fertilize everything with a slow release, complete fertilizer. If a plant is in dire need of fertilizer broadcast the dry fertilizer and then spray on liquid Miracle-Gro. The liquid will take almost immediate effect but last only a couple of weeks. Meanwhile the dry fertilizer will begin to break down and provide its long-term benefits.
• Flowering plants should be pruned up to one third when flowering has ceased. This includes bougainvillea. Water and scatter the surrounding area with a slow release fertilizer after pruning.
• Hurricane season begins in June. Look for any tree, palm or large shrub limbs that are damaged, dead or weak from disease, and remove them. This does NOT mean removing healthy growth.
