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May weather

Thomasville’s average May temperature is 73.85 degrees; the average high and low temperatures this month are 86 degrees and 61 degrees, respectively. May is typically one of the driest months in Georgia. Our average precipitation this month is 2.99 inches.

Special May dates

May is National Strawberry Month. Strawberries are grown in every U.S. state and Canadian province. However, strawberries aren’t true berries, like blueberries or grapes. Technically, berries have their seeds on the inside, instead of on the outside, as strawberries do — and each strawberry has, on average, 200 of those seeds! Native Americans were eating strawberries long before European settlers arrived. Ancient Romans thought that strawberries had medicinal powers and even today they are believed to help reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers. In France, strawberries are considered an aphrodisiac, traditionally served to newlyweds in the form of a creamy sweet soup at wedding breakfasts. This soup is delicious. Recipes can be found on the Internet.

National Wildflower Week is observed annually during the first full week in May. Georgia began its own wildflower initiative in 1974. At that time, members of the Garden Club of Georgia led a movement to plant and protect wildflowers on Georgia’s highways. Georgia DOT endorsed the group’s ideas and for years now, we have all seen the beautiful results. Members of Thomasville Garden Club Inc. are very proud to be part of this beautification effort.

May 14 is Mother’s Day. Thomasville Garden Club Inc. wishes all mothers a day full of joy and many blessings.

In bloom

Because of our mild winter and early spring and even summer-like weather, many of the plants that we usually find beginning to flower this month have been blooming quite happily for at least a couple of weeks. I have seen all of the following in bloom: gardenia, Gerber daisy, ligustrum, lily of the Nile, oakleaf hydrangea, oleander, various magnolias and tea olive.

Misidentification in April’s column

Two of the loveliest blooming trees in Thomasville flank the doors to the Municipal Auditorium on Jackson Street. I remark upon them in this column nearly every spring. But, I have learned that calling them Grancy Greybeard fringe trees is erroneous. Shortly after “Yarden” appeared last month, I received a very nice, very informative phone call from Sheila and Bruce Tucker. For 30 years, Bruce Tucker worked in the University of Georgia’s horticulture research department in Tifton. He is very familiar with fringe trees; he grows them himself.

Mr. Tucker identified the gorgeous downtown trees as Chinese fringe trees — Chionanthus retusus. This is a different species than the Grancy Greybeard, which is Chionanthus virginicus. Chinese fringe trees are more attractively shaped, bear whiter blooms and have leaves that are greener, more rounded and more lustrous than their counterparts. Grancy Greybeard is native to the South but both species adapt well to our area.

Thank you, Bruce and Sheila for your interest and for sharing your knowledge.

Drought-tolerant plants

As hot weather settles in, think about replacing your fading spring-blooming annuals with heat-loving flowers. Some to consider are celosia, lantana, pentas, portulaca and salvia in the sun and impatiens and caladiums in shady areas.

To do: Wise watering

With temperatures climbing, it is getting a little late to start plants. New plantings will require careful attention, especially regarding watering. Even established plants will probably require irrigation.

The most important advice, tied with my admonition to “keep weeding,” is to water efficiently and effectively.

Annuals need about an inch of water a week, either from rain or irrigation. Try watering once a week, soaking the soil to a depth of six to eight inches. Put a rain gauge in your garden to help measure this. To be water efficient, irrigate early in the morning when the air is still cool and dew is on the grass, typically between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. This reduces potential disease problems and conserves water.

Never provide irrigation between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Watering at midday or later is a waste of time, money and a valuable but diminishing natural resource (water). Much of the water will evaporate before it can be absorbed. Also, if you use a sprinkler, direct the water to reach your plants and direct it away from driveways, walkways, the highway, structures and so forth.

Be aware that watering for just a few minutes every day provides only enough moisture to reach the upper roots but the lower root system remains dry. Watering for a longer length of time on fewer days allows the deeper roots a sufficient drink and will result in a healthier yarden.

To keep the plant roots cooler and the moisture more even, cover the soil with mulch.

May quote

“Flowers … are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul.” — Luther Burbank

Pat Pankey writes this column for Thomasville Garden Club Inc. as a service to the community. Thomasville Garden Club Inc. welcomes new members. If you are interested, please contact Membership Chair Karen Wilks at 226-0312 or any current member. The Garden Center has a library of books about gardening that are available not only to garden club members but also to the general public. To access the library or to visit the Garden Center, please contact Julia Singletary at 226-5291 (the Garden Center telephone number) or any current member. You may contact Carla Inman at (229) 403-6048 if you are interested in renting the Garden Center for an event. The Garden Center is always open to the public on the Wednesday before the first Friday of every month, September through May. Please visit our website at  www.thomasvillegardenclub.org and find us on Facebook.