Monthly gardening tasks for May for gardeners in western Los Angeles County.

1. May in the Southern California Garden
Each month has its special joys and tasks in the garden. Below is a suggested calendar for May. Remember
that gardening depends on the weather, so tasks, bloom season and activities may vary from year to year.
Best of Show:
 Flowers:
o Tree/shrub: *Carpenteria californica, Ceanothus ‘Frosty Blue’, Fremontia ‘El Dorado Gold’, Heteromeles arbutifolia,
Sambucus nigra ssp cerulea;
o Smaller shrubs/vines: Calystegia macrostegia, Clematis ligusticifolia, Coreopsis spp, Diplacus spp, Eriogonum
fasciculatum, Lathyrus vestitus, Lonicera spp., Salvia apiana,* Salvia clevelandii, Salvia leucophylla, Trichostema lanatum;
o Annuals/perennials/bulbs: Symphyotrichum (Aster) chilense, Achillea millefolium, *Aquilegia Formosa, Argentina
egedii, Collinsia heterophylla, Dudleya spp., Heuchera spp., Lillium spp., *Mentzelia lindleyi, Mimulus cardinalis, Phacelia
spp., Potentilla glandulosa, Sisyrinchium californicum, Trifolium spp., Triteleia laxa, Verbena spp.
 Fruits/berries: *Berberis (Mahonia) spp, * Rhamnus spp., Rhus integrifolia & ovata – all begin to be interesting
Planning:
 Make a plan for removing your lawn, ivy patch, old tree/shrubs or other plants that need removal. Explore methods; see about hiring
outside help if needed. This is a really good month to get started on ‘removals’.
Hardscape/General:
 Check mulch; add/renew if needed
 Move bulb pots to cool dry place
 Repair damaged hardscape if needed
Propagation:
 From seed: collect seed from spring wildflowers
Planting:
 Riparian/pond and other Zone 3 plants from now to summer
 Desert plants from now to summer; water
 Direct-seed warm season sod grasses
Watering: key month to monitor soil moisture
 Taper off water for spring bulbs when the leaves start to wither
 Taper off water for early spring wildflowers; keep watering late-bloomers until flowering ceases.
 This can be a tricky month for watering – soils/containers can dry out before you know it. So check soil moisture weekly.
 Turn on irrigation/ begin routine summer watering schedule as soon as summer water is needed.

2. Pruning:
 Prune to shape/train: Ceanothus, Arctostaphylos, Carpenteria, and other flowering shrubs once they've finished blooming
 Oil and sharpen your pruners, saws, etc. – store
Weeds/Diseases/Pests:
 Weed out garden to prevent weeds from going to seed
Edibles/Crafts:
 Make a May basket for a friend or neighbor
 Take a flower arrangement to a library, nursing home or other worthy recipient
 Make Lemonadeberry ‘lemonade’ if fruits ripen
 Pick ripe Berberis fruits; use for jelly or other recipes; dry for tea; use for dye
 Dry or extract flavors from native mints for year-round tea and flavorings
Enjoying the garden: major enjoying month
 Just take it easy; days are warm enough to enjoy sitting, dining and meditating in the garden.
 Take a field-trip with friends to the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden or some other ‘far away’ place. Make a day of it
 Watch the warm weather vegetables grow; Some may start to flower in warmer gardens.
 Try a new recipe using something grown in your garden
5/2/16