Mother May I ?

 

May 2026

Pickaway to Garden

Mother May I?

By Paul Hang

 

When I thought of this childhood game, I had to look up how the game is played. Do you remember? I thought about the game because this May we seem to be playing Mother Nature May I? Mother Nature May I prepare the garden for planting or is the ground too wet? Or, is it too cold? May I plant my onion sets? May I set out my cabbage and broccoli plants? May I plant seeds of lettuce? How about seeds of marigold and zinnia? May I mow the lawn? The answer is No, because you didn’t start the question with Mother May I?

 

Actually, this May the answer to those, and other gardening questions, is Mother May I check the weather? This May has alternatively been warm or cold, wet or dry. What is a person to do Mother? First of all, we have to decide whether the weather is nice enough for us to even go outside. Then we have to decide if the conditions are right for what we intend to do. Different people have different tolerances in what weather they will work. Scandinavians say, “there is no such thing as bad weather only bad clothing.” So, discomfort comes from being unprepared and not from external circumstances. Does that sound like your mother? It certainly sounds like mine.

 

Next question, are the conditions right for what we want or need to do? How wet is the soil? If we gently squeeze a golf ball sized handful of soil and drop from waist high and it breaks apart the soil is not too wet. What is the temperature of the soil? If the soil temperature is 50 degrees we can plant our cabbage, broccoli, onions and lettuce seeds and plants. If the soil is 65 degrees we can plant seeds of most other vegetables and flowers. If the air temperature is going to cause frost it is best to not plant plants. If we have plants in the ground with frost we better cover them. We can mow the lawn at any temperature for which we can dress. If the grass is wet, better wait. With these precautions obeyed, Mother Nature may allow.

 

May will bring flowers even if we didn’t get much in the way of April showers. Surely the weather will settle down and moderate eventually. Frost in May? Mother Nature may.

 

The Master Gardener Volunteers are having their Plant Sale on May 16, 9am-1pm in the parking lot at the Pickaway County Library on N. Court St. Lots of plants, annuals and perennials are for sale. And, as always, the Helpline can be reached by calling the OSU Extension Office at 740-474-7534.

 

Things to do in the garden:

 

Everything! The month of May is a busy one. You can direct-seed corn, beans, potatoes, melons, cucumbers and squash. Those last three are usually planted in “hills” of groups of three or four plants. Place cheesecloth or row cover cloth over vines until they bloom. With any luck you will have prevented the cucumber beetles from invading the plants. This also works on preventing the caterpillars of cabbage, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. Don’t take the cloth off these as they don’t flower before harvest.

 

You can set out tomato, pepper and eggplant plants if the soil is warm (60 degrees). There is still a chance of frost but each week the chances become less and less. Be prepared to cover those tender plants if frost threatens. Don't be tempted to over-fertilize tomatoes, extra nitrogen will delay ripening and produce more vine than fruit. Remember tomatoes can be planted deep with the top few branches of leaves above ground. Roots will form along the buried stem. If you stake your tomatoes put the stakes in before you plant. Consider pruning your tomatoes and peppers. Look it up.

 

If you plan to put houseplants outside for the summer, a period of transitioning to the new environment will help assure their health and vigor. Fertilize and place in the shade. You can divide and move perennials now. As the soil warms (50 degrees) you can plant summer-flowering bulbs such as caladiums, cannas, dahlias, and gladioluses. You can begin spraying roses for black spot following the directions on the product.

 

Cut the seed pods off your lilacs (after the blooms fade), but do not prune the stems. If your lilacs are getting overgrown and leggy, cut a third of the old stems this year at the ground. Do this to a third next year and the final third the year after that. This way you will rejuvenate the bushes. Stake or cage floppy perennials like peonies. For bigger peonies, remove small buds near the larger ones. Ants on buds are not harmful.

 

If you have a home orchard remove any fallen fruit and dispose of them by burying or putting them in the trash. Don't put them into the compost heap unless it is really "cooking." (Our compost heaps don't "cook" unless we turn them regularly.)This will help prevent disease. Remember "June drop." It is a time when fruit trees rid themselves of excess fruit. This is a natural process. Then thin apples, peaches and other tree fruit (not cherries) to a fruit every six inches.  Pines can be pruned back. Cut just half of new “candle” growth, otherwise the branch will grow no further.

 

Mulch your beds after the soil has warmed. When you set out those tender plants protect against cutworms that can chew off new transplants. Use collars of aluminum foil, plastic, cardboard or other material to encircle the stem. The collars should extend into the soil an inch and above an inch or two. There are pesticides that can help control these pests (Google "cutworms extension”). I have also placed a toothpick in the ground right next to the plant stem with success.

 

This is a busy time for pollinators. When you spot a bug identify it before reaching for the spray. Fully 97% of the bugs in our gardens are beneficial or of no threat. Singular bugs are almost always beneficial predators. Crowds are often pests. Know your enemy! Consider starting a compost pile. Grass clippings, if not mulched and left on the lawn are a great “green” to add to the “brown.” Search (compost extension) for recipes.

Finally, it’s not how fast you mow but how high. Mow at least 3 inches high for a healthy lawn.