Do those spring chores but take time to smell the roses

The Merry Month of May is here with longer days and warmer temperatures that encourage everything in the garden to grow fast.
Gardeners will keep planting, adding flowers and vegetables from nursery six-packs. But don't work too hard this lovely month. Take a break to admire the color and new greenery that springtime brings.
If you like to grow your own, you can sow seeds of summer annuals such as cosmos, marigolds, zinnias, petunias or sunflowers. Or you can set out nursery plants of these and others such as annual phlox, bedding begonias, impatiens and salpiglossis.
Aphids will be coming on strong. Act promptly to wash them away with a strong spray from the hose or an application of insecticidal soap.
Set traps for gophers and moles or line beds with a wire mesh basket before planting.
Snails, slugs and earwigs will be doing their thing. Snails and slugs can be thwarted by meal bait or diatomaceous earth, you can hand pick them, or lure them to a happy death by sinking saucers of stale beer along their silvery trails.
It's time to fertilize summer annuals and other bloomers, unless you've already applied timed-release nutrients. Just be sure to follow manufacturers' instructions. This is not a case of more is better!
Apply a 2-inch layer of organic mulch around plants, leaving a small area of soil at the base of each plant. This can be bark, compost or straw. With the latter, add some nitrogen to replace that which will be drawn from the soil as the high carbon straw decomposes.
Remove spent flowers from roses and rhododendrons and pinch azaleas, fuchsias, geraniums and new annuals to encourage branching and fullness.
Thin the fruit of late ripening apples, Asian pears, peaches and nectarines by twisting off fruit. Leave 6 inches of space between the remaining fruit.
After bloom, prune spring-flowering shrubs and vines to shape them. Shear hedges for a clean, smooth look.
Time for regular watering schedules again. Deep-water trees and shrubs, using a drip system or slow-running hose. Rebuild water basins, extending to the edge of the foliage canopy.
Fertilize shrubs, fruit trees and perennials - again, be sure to follow manufacturers' recommended amounts. You can even apply half amounts twice as often. Roses should be fed after first bloom and every four to six weeks thereafter.
Shovel prune. If there are trees, shrubs or perennials that are not doing their best, dig 'em out. You may transfer them to a better location, give them to a friend, or (grit your teeth) dump them in the compost shredder. Be sure they are not diseased or infected with insects, however.
Sit in the shade or on your patio and cast a dispassionate eye around your landscape. What can you change? When can you do it for best results? Would you like a pond or fountain to add the cooling effect of water? How about a birdbath?
Dream a little, sketch ideas out on paper. Pencils are easier than shovels, you know. Most of all, enjoy the sunshine and warm breezes that truly make this month of May a merry one.
Helen Bale can be reached at htbale@infostations.com.