May What To Do Now Calendar

Aerate and dethatch – As weather warms, it's an ideal time to renovate warm-season lawns.

Care for houseplants – Clean foliage, water regularly and fertilize. Repot as necessary. For more information on caring for houseplants, go to the Bayer Advanced houseplant page. To feed and protect from insects, use Bayer Advanced™ 2-in-1 Insect Control plus Fertilizer Plant Spikes – no spraying, no mess. Just push the spikes into the soil for up to 8 weeks of nutrition and protection. To control existing insect pests use Bayer Advanced™ Dual Action Rose & Flower Insect Killer Ready-To-Use.

Care for roses – Remove faded flowers, cutting back to the first leaf with five leaflets. Roses, such as floribundas and shrubs, which bloom in clusters, can be lightly sheared after blooms fade. After roses are actively growing, feed and protect from insects and disease with Bayer Advanced™ All-In-One Rose & Flower Care Concentrate. If diseases like powdery mildew, rust or black spot are already infecting your roses, cure them with Bayer Advanced™ Disease Control for Roses, Flowers & Shrubs Concentrate. To control diseases, insects and spider mites, use Bayer Advanced™ 3-in-1 Insect, Disease & Mite Control Ready-To-Spray.

Control garden weeds – Weeds in garden beds are easiest to control when young. Use an appropriate herbicide, hoe or pull by hand. (Be sure to take care in applying herbicides to prevent spray drift from damaging desirable plants.) To control brushy weeds like poison oak and wild berries or tree stumps, use Bayer Advanced™ Brush Killer Plus Ready-To-Use.

Control indoor pests – To control insects like spiders, fleas and ants, use Bayer Advanced™ Home Pest Control Indoor & Outdoor Insect Killer Ready-To-Use Nested Sprayer, which provides up to 12 months of indoor insect protection. For easier-than-ever control of roaches, use the Bayer Advanced™ Dual Action Roach Killer Power Pen® Ready-To-Use. For more information, visit the Bayer Advanced Indoor Pest Control Web page.

Control lawn pests – To control above- and belowground pests, including grubs, ants, fleas and ticks, use Bayer Advanced™ Complete Insect Killer For Soil & Turf Concentrate. To cure and prevent lawn diseases, including brown patch, use Bayer Advanced™ Fungus Control for Lawns Granules.

Control lawn weeds – Control weeds with Bayer Advanced™ All-In-One Lawn Weed & Crabgrass Killer Ready-To-Spray (not for use on St. Augustine grass, bahia, bentgrass, carpetgrass, centipedegrass or dicondra). It kills over 200 broadleaf and grassy weeds. Follow label directions carefully.

Control moss and algae – Cool, moist weather promotes growth of moss and algae on sides of homes, roofs, patios and in lawns. Control with Bayer Advanced™ 2-in-1 Moss & Algae Killer Ready-To-Spray. It kills within hours and protects for months.

Control slugs and snails – Protect flowers, vegetables and other tender plants with Bayer Advanced™ Dual Action Snail & Slug Killer Bait Granules.

Fertilize – If landscape plants are growing slowly or are poorly colored, feed with a complete fertilizer. Also feed annuals and vegetables to keep them growing vigorously.

Mow – Cool-season lawns are growing vigorously. Warm-season lawns are not far behind. Mow at least weekly. Since it is recommended to remove no more than the top 1/3 of the leaf tissue at any one time, more frequent mowing may be necessary.

Plant citrus and subtropicals – Plant citrus trees from containers. Feed established trees with high-nitrogen fertilizer that also includes micronutrients. Water as necessary.

Plant flowers – Plant summer bulbs like gladiolus, callas and dahlias. Start summer annuals like zinnias, cosmos and marigolds from seeds or transplants. Don't forget perennials like salvia, coreopsis and penstemon. Protect from insect pests with Bayer Advanced™ Dual Action Rose & Flower Insect Killer Ready-To-Use.

Plant lawns – There is still time to plant cool-season lawns from seed or sod in coastal areas. Elsewhere, it's an ideal time to start warm-season lawns, such as Bermudagrass or St. Augustine.

Plant trees and shrubs – Plant new trees and shrubs, including roses. Protect new plantings from insects with Bayer Advanced™ 3 in 1 Tree & Shrub Plant Starter Ready-To-Use Throw Pack. The exclusive formula provides up to 3 months of feeding, moisture control and insect protection. Or you can use Bayer Advanced™ 12-Month Tree & Shrub Protect & Feed Concentrate or Bayer Advanced™ 12-Month Tree & Shrub Protect & Feed Granules. One application protects for up to 12 months.

Plant vegetables and herbs – In coastal areas, there's still time to plant some cool-season vegetables, such as lettuce, carrots and radishes. Elsewhere, it's time to plant warm-season crops like tomatoes, squash and corn. Also plant basil, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary and thyme. Protect vegetables listed on the label from insect pests with Bayer Advanced™ PowerForce® Multi-Insect Killer Granules or Bayer Advanced™ Complete Insect Dust For Gardens Ready-To-Use.

Water – Check irrigation systems. Fix clogs and broken sprinklers. Adjust spray heads. Begin watering as weather warms. Apply a fresh layer of organic mulch to conserve moisture. Follow local lawn watering guidelines available from the water department or cooperative extension office.