By J.L. Simmerman
pring planting season has inally arrived, and it’s time to get outside and dig into those flower and vegetable beds. There’s nothing better than fresh homegrown veggies and beautiful, carefully tended flowers to make your home feel warm and inviting.
No matter whether you enjoy the feel of dirt on your own hands or are overseeing the work done by others, keeping a planting schedule can help you get the most out of your efforts all year long. Let’s take a look at important planting season tasks you should be focusing on this month.
According to NOLA.com, May is perfect for planting vegetables like amaranth, cantaloupe, eggplant, Malabar spinach, edible soybean, peanuts, pumpkin, Southern peas, hot peppers, lima beans, okra, sweet potato, watermelon, and yard-long beans. May is the also best time to plant flowers like asters, astilbe, bee balm, cannas, coneflowers, crocus, daffodils, dahlias, hibiscus, hyacinths, irises, jasmine, lilies, peonies, phlox, salvia, sedum, succulents, tulips, and yarrow.
You can also remove developing seed pods from Louisiana iris, agapanthus, and amaryllis when they finish blooming this month. Check over your current flower beds and compost any plants that are past their prime to make room for new flowers later on. It’s also the best time to apply any broad-leaf weed killers and weed-and-feed products for a lush green lawn this summer to accent your growing beds.
Throughout Louisiana, you can start prepping for hurricane season in late-May to mid-July by checking all your trees for rot, dead limbs, insect infestations, or disease that can leave them vulnerable in high winds and rain. Planning ahead can help you avoid big headaches later on and can help keep your trees healthy and thriving for years to come.
One important task when planning your planting schedule is to check your growing zone, as Louisiana’s geography falls into an 8, 9, or 10 zone, depending on your location. There are a few differences between the three zones’ recommended planting schedules, with zone 8 (which includes the Shreveport-Bossier area) having much more overlap between the months, giving you more planting flexibility.
April showers may bring May flowers, but not without a little planning and work to help keep those plants blooming and healthy. Enjoy your gifts of the garden this month as we move into the joys of full-blown growing season.
