2. Want more easy to follow and effective lawn tips? Go to Lawn Care Program from Skillin's!  to see how achievable a good lawn can be for us "average Joes" (although all the Joes I know are way above average)! You CAN grow a nice lawn without a huge investment of time and labor!

3.  Birding friend Liz Cardinale wants us to know she has seen hummingbirds on her property! Liz lives right here in Skillin's Country. She is concerned that we set up our hummingbird feeders and food for these hungry critters. (We have an awesome selection of hummingbird feeders and food right here at Skillin's!) The hummingbirds have flown a distance and are HUNGRY! We also have a great selection of shrubs and perennials that the hummingbirds love to use for food--right in your garden!

4.  Speaking of hungry....have you looked at your rhododendrons lately? Well I have looked at mine and a few others and right now the view is not always pretty! The long cold winter has put our evergreens such as rhodys, azaleas, andromedas and moutain laurels to the test. They too are HUNGRY! It is time to feed them with all natural Holly Tone by Espoma. They will pay you back with beauty! I recommend feeding your evergreens twice yearly with Holly Tone to better sustain them through the crazy weather cycles of Skillin's Country. Your blueberries and blue hydrangeas would appreciate two feedings per year as well! Holly Tone is a food--a meal for your plants--not a quickie "Miracle" drink if you know what I mean! Click HERE for more quick and helpful information about evergreen care by the people at Espoma!

5.  Yes I love Strawberry Rhubarb pie. Who doesn't? Gardening friend Margaret of Away to Garden writes a superb gardening web site. This past week she sent out a great piece on growing, harvesting, cooking and freezing rhubarb. Rhubarb can easily be grown here and we have some great young starter plants for you. Check out Margaret's humorous and informative article! 

Rhubarb Harvest Coming Soon!

6.  I am working a great deal with our annuals and vegetables and getting many questions such as "what can I plant outside?" Shrubs and perennials can be planted outside. Many vegetables such as lettuces, broccoli and other greens can definitely be planted outside now. Flowers like pansies and snapdragons can be planted now. Tomatos, peppers, impatiens, cosmos? Not so fast. Now CAN BE the time to "harden them off" by giving them a few gentle hours outdoors and then back inside at night or during windy days and nights. Hardened off plants such as these can possibly be planted next week in coastal areas or city areas (but keep the frost blankets handy!) Containers on porches also can be prepared--but they may still need some shelter in case of frost or high wind! Let's keep a close eye daily on the weather and don't hesitate to check with us!

7.  For even more May gardening tips check out our garden blog--the Skillin's Garden Log!

Our 2011 nursery and perennial catalogs are now ONLINE! Check them out!