To help make your yard or garden look its best this year, follow these tips from Utah State University Extension's Gardeners Almanac.
Stop harvesting asparagus stalks in early June to allow leaves to form for the remainder of the growing season. Prune tomatoes to open up the plant's canopy. Consider drip irrigating your garden to conserve water. Consider planting sweet corn every other week (until early July) in the garden to extend the harvest. Prune spring-flowering shrubs (those that flower before June) after they flower to encourage new flower buds the following season. Deadhead (cut off) perennial and annual flowers after they have finished blooming. Thin apple, peach, and apricot fruit to about one fruit every 5 to 6 inches. Apply a second pre-emergent herbicide in late May to early June to control annual weeds in the lawn, such as crabgrass and spurge. Note that turfgrass only requires 1 to 1.5 inches of irrigation per week. Check the irrigation needs in your area. Pests and Problems: Monitor vegetables and herbs for earwig damage. Use registered chemicals to protect ash trees and prevent lilac/ash borer damage. Apply control measures to apples and pears to reduce infested fruit. See Utah's Pest Advisory for specific timing. Control powdery mildew on apples from when leaves first emerge (1/2 inch green) through June. Watch for raspberry pests from mid-May through early June. See Utah's Pest Advisory for specific timing. To prevent maggots on cherries, control western cherry fruit flies when fruit changes color from straw to pink. Control peach branch borer on peach, nectarine and apricot trees. See Utah's Pest Advisory for specific timing. Monitor lawn for insects that harm the lawn. Consider using a preventative (systemic) insecticide in previously infested areas. Consider taking an online gardening course. Courses cover everything from container vegetable growing and optimal soil creation to tree planting and pest control. There's something for everyone, from beginners to professional gardeners. Use code SAVE25 to save 25% off your course fee when you spend $10. Expires June 30, 2024. Find more gardening tips on Extension's Yard & Garden website.
