Indoors
- Move houseplants to a shady location outdoors when danger of frost has past, usually mid-May. The soil in the pots will dry out faster outdoors, so check it frequently.
- Take cuttings from houseplants to increase collection or share. Root cuttings in media such as vermiculite, perlite or potting soil.
- Fertilize houseplants according to label directions.
General landscape
- Prune early spring-flowering trees and shrubs after flowers fade.
- Plant balled-and-burlapped or container nursery stock; water thoroughly.
- Remove and destroy bagworms from trees and shrubs.
- Mow lawn as needed to height of 3 1/2 or 4 inches.
- Allow foliage of spring-flowering bulbs to ripen and yellow or brown before cutting back. Leaves make the food reserves stored in the bulbs that bring next year’s flowers. Divide or transplant spring-flowering bulbs after they’ve finished blooming. Mark empty spaces in the landscape to show where to plant spring-flowering bulbs next fall.
- Begin organic rose care.
- Divide or transplant perennials.
- Plant tender ornamentals after danger of frost is past. This includes most annual flowers and tender perennials, such as cannas, gladiolus, dahlias, tuberous begonias and caladiums.
- Mulch garden beds.
- Pinch late-blooming perennials, such as chrysanthemums and asters, and certain annuals to keep them compact and well branched.
- Stay on top of the weeds by pulling them as soon as you see them, once a week, after a rain, or whatever works on with schedule.
Vegetables and Fruits
- Once there is no threat of frost, usually by mid-May, plant tender plants such as tomatoes, corn, peppers, eggplant, vine crops
- Make successive plantings of beans and sweet corn to extend the harvest.
- Thin seedlings of early-planted crops to spacing specified on seed packet or plant tag.
- Harvest early plantings of radishes, spinach and lettuce.
- Harvest asparagus by cutting or snapping spears at or just below soil level.
- Harvest rhubarb by cutting, or grasp stalk and pull it slightly to one side.
- Remove blossoms from newly set strawberry plants to allow better runner formation.
- Remove unwanted suckers in raspberries when new shoots are about a foot tall.
- Begin organic practices in growing your apples. Thin fruit on apple trees to 8 inches apart about three weeks after their flower petals fall.