May Landscape Tips

We are all in some brushfire danger in southern California. If your home has large brush areas, and haven’t done so already, take care of your weed abatement. The spring grasses have turned into very flammable dry tinder, so now you should cut it down to a maximum height of 4”. We like to leave it that height for erosion control, but always follow your fire authority’s direction.  It is best to have at least a 100 foot perimeter of defensible space.  

Even if you do not have brush, make sure trees are pruned away from your home. Inspect and remove dead limbs and shrubs and any dry leaves or other fuel close to your home.  May is a great month for outdoor activities and gardening in particular. Finish planting any trees or shrubs, as the coming hot dry days of summer are less ideal.  Now that daytime temperatures are usually over 80 degrees, we should stop using broad leaf weed control sprays in our yards. Spraying for weeds while the temperature is high will put your turf at risk for damage. 

May is the time to apply our summer fertilizer.  Use a product labeled 25-5-5 with controlled release or similar. Make sure you water it in well right after application to prevent fertilizer burn, as this is more likely with hot weather.  If you had applied crabgrass prevention to your lawn back in January or February, you shouldn’t have too much crabgrass growing now. Hand-dig any small patches before you apply your second and final application of Crabgrass prevention. You can buy an all in one product   that “prevent crabgrass and fertilizes in one step.”  It might be a good idea to find a product that also has “broadleaf weed control or dandelion control” as well. Did you mulch your planter beds last month? Get it done now to help save precious irrigation water in the hot months ahead.  Bonus tip: May is the best time to prevent some of this year’s, and most of next year’s June bugs.  Right now the immature larvae are found in your lawn feeding on the roots of your grass. Use a granular grub control product labeled for “season long” protection. You will kill the immature grubs before they become June bugs, and hopefully kill any eggs that your neighbors June bugs lay in your yard later this summer.