Here are our May landscaping tips for the Outer Banks NC and VA. If you need a hand, we are only a phone call or a click away!
1. Go ahead and pull cool season annuals (i.e. pansies) and replace with warm season annuals such as coleus, petunias, begonias, etc.
2. Apply a slow release fertilizer to newly planted annuals and perennials (i.e. Osmocote). If your established plants haven’t been fertilized, it is still a good time to do it!
3. If you are planting new plants, try to group drought tolerant plants together and water-loving plants together to reduce wasting water. It is important to water these plants regularly the first several weeks while they are getting established.
4. If you are going to plant palms and other hardy “tropicals” now is the time!
5. Go ahead and prune spring-flowering shrubs (i.e. azaleas, Indian Hawhorn, camellias) as soon as they finish flowering and before it gets too hot!
6. Keep warm season grasses mowed to 1 to 1 1/2 inches – except for St. Augustine, which should be kept to about 3″. If you haven’t fertilized yet – do it now.
7. Hand pull weeds without disturbing the soil too much. When you disturb the soil, you bring weed seed to the surface – which means more weeds!
8. Keep an eye out for fire ants all the time. If you spot them, baits work great. Contact your county Extension office for additional information!
