Season Extenders

Seasonal Gardening Tips

• Choose rhododendrons now for spectacular blooms in your shade garden.
• When planting tomatoes, add a handful of bone meal to the hole to help prevent blossom end rot.
• Wisterias are large, vigorous vines blooming now with long clusters of fragrant purple, pink, or white flowers—provide a strong arbor for support.
• Spray roses every two weeks with neem oil (a safe alternative to chemicals) to keep them healthy and prevent leaf diseases.
• Gerberas, with their large daisy-like flowers, thrive in containers with infrequent watering and plenty of sun for blooms all summer.

Extending the Growing Season

To get the most out of your garden, extend the growing season by sheltering plants from cold weather in early spring and fall. Ambitious gardeners can even harvest greens and cool-weather crops all winter with the right conditions.

• Cold frames: Simple structures for growing cool-weather crops in early spring and hardening-off seedlings. They provide a gradual transition to outdoor conditions.
• Hot caps: Cones of translucent paper or plastic (e.g., cut-off milk jugs) that act as miniature greenhouses for small plants. The "Season Starter" (formerly "Wall-O-Water") is a larger version with water-filled tubes that absorb heat during the day and release it at night, protecting plants down to 20°F for 3–5 seasons.
• Floating row covers: Lightweight spun-bonded polyester fabrics laid over plants to provide 5–10°F of warmth and frost protection down to 28°F. They allow light and water through while shielding plants from wind, rain, and insects.

With unpredictable May weather, providing warmth and protection for vegetable starts ensures a rewarding harvest of homegrown produce once summer arrives.