By Debbie Post
University of Nebraska Extension Master Gardener
May 13 – Mulching helps our gardens, trees, and flower beds with weed control, conserving moisture, and reducing erosion and water runoff. Organic mulch such as straw, grass clippings, or wood chips are much preferred over materials like plastic or rubber. Use 2-4 inches of mulch material and make sure to leave the base of your tree or plant more open resulting in a concave bowl shape versus a volcano-shaped mound. Too much mulch and you will suffocate your plant as oxygen and water are unable to reach the roots.
May 14 – Water plays a pivotal role in our yard, garden, and flower beds carrying nutrients from the soil and facilitating photosynthesis – which is how plants turn sunlight into food for growth. Rule of thumb is one to two soakings a week resulting in about an inch of water. The best time to water is early morning, as midday wastes water to evaporation and evening watering can lead to sitting water on leaves which might encourage fungal disease. Turn off your automatic sprinklers if we get rain to avoid wasting water.
May 15 – Whether it’s helping your soil with retention or drainage or changing its PH balance, a simple soil sample is the place to begin. Contact your local county extension office who can give you instructions for gathering 10-12 inches of dirt from various spots in your test area. For a nominal fee, the participating lab will analyze your soil to let you know what amendments you might need for improvements. You can even speak with an agronomist who will help you interpret the results for your garden produce.
May 16 – Now more than ever in our fragile world, it is important to bring pollinators to your yard. What is a pollinator? Bats, bees, beetles, birds, butterflies, and even those pesky flies, moths, and wasps are all animals and insects that help plants reproduce by transferring pollen. They’re critical in the production of our area crops and essential in creating and preserving biodiversity in our environment. By changing the ways you practice your landscaping and gardening techniques, you can hugely impact our pollinator population.
May 17 – If you want to attract more pollinators to your yard, remove more lawn grass, and choose instead to add native plants and bushes, patio or container boxes with blooming plants. Leave some natural debris such as dead stems and dry leaves, especially for overwintering insects. Decrease your use of pesticides and check out more organic resources for weed control. Use a rake instead of a leaf blower. Appreciate those bugs. Most of them provide free services such as pollination pest control and waste decomposition.