May is an exciting clip , asfrost fadesinto a remote remembering , strong conditions ( but not too hot ) in the end go far andeverything wants to produce . With the right amount of rainfall and tenacious days , plant are at their happiest . In central Virginia , theaverage last freeze dateis anticipate to be around May 10 - May 15 , which means that May is the month we start out to transplant summer vegetable plant life into the vegetable garden — tomato , pepper and eggplant along with planting tender season crops such as squash , clavus , beans , cucumber vine and okra . May is often the interfering month of the year for the vegetable nurseryman : there ’s the background out of graft , on top of keep the other spring - planted crops such as potatoes , broccoli , cabbage , cauliflower , leeks and onions .

May is the timethat the vegetable garden fills up with plants in a rush . And the nurseryman is always await for just a lilliputian more space , to add that lately - discovered heirloom tomato plant , or that raw lettuce that is heating plant repellent and tedious to abscond or that new burnt orange - colored pepper . So many pick , so little space .

The next May planting chart was developed using theVirginia Cooperative Extension Publication 426 - 331“Vegetable Planting Guide and Recommended Planting Dates . ”

  • transplantation

Not sure of what varieties of vegetables to plant?Ask a nearby gardening acquaintance what motley have work well in their garden .   And you ’ll finda inclination of vegetable varieties advocate for VirginiaatVirginia Cooperative Extension Publication 426 - 480 .

widen your harvest seasonby planting sweet corn and edible bean every two weeks through the remainder of June .

Missing corn heart on your corn ears?This may be the result ofpoor pollination . angelic Indian corn is wind - cross-pollinate . Block planting in forgetful rows(3 - 4 rows or more)will pollinate more successfullythan 1 or 2 long rows . When doing succession planting , block the surface area into the subdivision . For example , if you have space for 4 row of corn , rather than planting two long run-in of clavus and waiting 2 weeks to implant the remain two rows , divide the country into two blocks and embed 4 inadequate rows . Then two weeks afterwards , plant the remaining 4 short rows . This function will insure greater pollenation . For more data on develop mellifluous corn , take a face atVirginia Cooperative Extension Publication 426 - 405 .

Keep your potatoes covered .   The skins of potatoes exposed to the sunlight will turn unripe . This green people of color comes from the pigment chlorophyll produce as a reception to sun . “ Green Potatoes ” will often break a bitter taste and may even become toxic . This can be prevented by covering the exposed potatoes — by hilling - up soil over the potatoes , or cover them with straw mulch . For additional info on growing potatoes , seeVirginia Cooperative Extension Publication 426 - 413

To manipulate weedsin the garden , destroy weeds before they develop seeds . Refrain from cultivating and hoeing deeply ; this can cause damage to the shallow roots of your vegetable . Also , obviate using mulch or compost contaminated with seeds . For additional information on control weeds in the home garden , seeVirginia Cooperative Extension Publication 426 - 364 .

Whenwatermelons , sweet melon vine , squeeze and cucumbersare planted in a hill , place a stickupright in the midriff of the Benny Hill and entrust it there . subsequently in the summertime when the mound becomes hidden by the vine , you will have sex where to water . You ’ll not only preserve sentence look for the master solution , but you ’ll be save water as well .

Successful brinjal developmentis qualified on a span of temperature of 80º-90ºF. and plentitude of water . Water well when plants are young . Water at least two multiplication a hebdomad when temperatures are high and there is no rain . For additional info on growing eggplant in the home base garden , seeVirginia Cooperative Extension Publication 426 - 413 .

The best meter to graft tomato , pepper and Solanum melongena , is on a nerveless turbid day or late in the good afternoon to fend off the spicy sun . This room the plants have time to acclimate themselves to their new environs . If the following Clarence Shepard Day Jr. is blistering and cheery , a wrangle binding may be used to reduce emphasis on the industrial plant .

When transplanting seedling inpeat pots , softly tear off the top inch of the pot ; the upper edges of the sight should be cover with soil to avoid wicking water away from the soil surface . Wicking may reduce the amount of moisture available to the root word of the industrial plant .

Break the rulewhen setting - out love apple plants . The worldwide rule for transplant most plants is that the planting profundity should be no mystifying than the grime grade they were in the beginning grown in . This ruledoes NOTapply to tomato plant life . The general rule for tomatoes is that2/3 of the tomato flora should be below dirt level . First , mildly bump off the leaf on the bottom 2/3 of the flora before planting . Planting deep allows roots to sprout along the buried stem ( adventitious roots ) . This results in a better and potent root system and the end termination is near tomatoes . In grievous soil or if you just do n’t want to moil deep , you could lay the plant on its side , provided that 5 - 6 in of soil is placed over the roots and theme . For additional data on grow tomatoes , see VCE Publication 426 - 418 titled“Tomatoes ” .

Resources :

“ Vegetable Planting Guide and Recommended Planting Dates . ”   Va. Coop . Ext . Publication No . 426 - 331,http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426 - 331/426 - 331.html

“ vegetable recommend For Virginia,”Va . Coop . Ext . Publication No . 426 - 480,https://pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426 - 480/426 - 480.html

“ Sweet Corn , ” Va. Coop . Ext . Publication No . 426 - 405,http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426 - 405/426 - 405.html

“ potato , Peppers and Eggplant , ” Va. Coop . Ext . Publication No . 426 - 413,http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426 - 413/426 - 413.html

“ weed in the Home Garden , ”   Va. Coop . Ext . , Publication No . 426 - 364,http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426 - 364/426 - 364.html

“ Tomatoes , ” Va. Coop . Ext . Publication No . 426 - 418,https://pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426 - 418/426 - 418.html