Turf
Plant
Bermuda lawns when soil warms up in mid to late May.
Fertilize
Bermuda grass lawns each month beginning late April or early May with nitrogen
according to the directions on the package.
Apply
Iron each month according to the directions on the package.
Apply
one inch of water per week to Bermuda lawns.
Once
every two or three years dethatch Bermuda lawns if necessary. Only dethatch
during the active growing season, May through August. This enables the turf to
quickly recover.
Vegetables
Plant
Seeds
Black eyed Peas, Melons (Cantaloupe, Muskmelon), Okra, Sunflowers
Plant
Transplants
Jerusalem Artichokes, Sweet Potatoes
Place
shade cloth over tomatoes.
Roses
Continue
fertilizing established roses, liquid fertilizers can be added at 2 week
intervals, follow the directions on the container.
Fruit
and Nut Trees
Plant
Citrus Trees - Young two to five year old trees transplant most successfully.
Larger, older trees are more costly, harder to transplant without injury (to
yourself and the tree), and suffer more from transplant shock. It will generally
be three years after transplant before fruit production and that is the same
whether you plant a 2 year old tree or a 10 year old tree. Go small!
Pick
early-maturing deciduous fruit varieties, which are particularly prone to bird
damage, before full maturity. Ripened at room temperature to lessen the bird
peck loss.
Cover
fruit trees to protect from birds
Give
special attention to watering deciduous fruit trees, provide adequate soil
moisture for fruit sizing in the late April and May period.
Apply
nitrogen and zinc to pecan trees to produce normal size leaf growth and to
enhance kernel development. Pecans also need more water than most other shade
trees.
Landscape
Plants
Increase
water application as the weather warms.
Tree
water use, desert types being the exception, increases rapidly during this
period of leafing out and gradually higher air temperatures.
Apply
mulch to the ground around heat sensitive plants keep the roots cooler and
prevent evaporation. Be sure to keep the mulch several inches away from the
trunk to prevent pest and disease problems.
Apply
chelated iron to bottle brush, pyracantha, silk oak, and other plants with iron
deficiency symptoms.
Prune
palms when flower spathes show or delay pruning until after the palm has
finished flowering to prevent infestation of Palm
Flower caterpillars.
If palms are pruned in the spring, leave the top five rows of peels so the
caterpillars have a place to hide.
Don't List . . .
Do
not prune citrus except to remove dead or damaged wood and branches obstructing
pathways, views, or structures.
Do
not use pre-emergent herbicides in an area in which you intend to plant seeds.
The Sun City Famers’ Market is open Thursday mornings from November through May. It offers local farm fresh produce, baked goods, specialty foods and crafts as well as local food vendors. It is located in the southeast parking lot of the Bell Recreation Center at the corner of 99th Avenue and Hutton Drive.