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Let us answer your questions about gardening issues and plant problems. |
Call the Master Gardener Hotline at 1-800-448-1011 (only calls from RI) if you have gardening questions |
To find out what events and activities are taking place in your community, click here. |
The purpose of this website is to educate the public by providing useful information about sustainable gardening and also to provide news and information to our Rhode Island Master Gardeners.
The information keeps changing, so visit us often and contact us if you have any questions or need some specific information.
Register now for the Summer Gardening School at URI, sponsored by the College of the Environment and Life Sciences. The first Session is June 10...send in your Registration Form today.
On June 28, URI Master Gardener Association is sponsoring a talk by Roger Swain, gardener, writer, and television personality, on "Returning Fruit to the American Backyard."
This event is open to the public but space is limited so pre-registration is a must.
Click here for details and to register
Tick Awareness Day...June 7...more information...
May Garden Chores and Tips
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Well, it is now mid spring and the perfect time to plant trees and shrubs as well as transplants, cuttings, and divided plants. It is also time to plant your dahlias…right at the beginning of the month and you will have blooms by early July. Another activity for the month of May is to plant your containers. It is also the month when our last frost date will occur – latest date is usually May 15. After that date you can plant tender perennials and annuals…but wait until Memorial Day to plant your tomatoes.
Many perennials are emerging from their winter dormancy. Daylilies are greening up, hellebores are really growing and blooming, and columbine, hostas, astilbes, poppies and bleeding heart are all making an appearance. Watch for late cold snaps and throw a little extra mulch on tender plants if warranted. This month your roses will also begin to grow rapidly…they should already be leafing out…so that by the middle of June you will have beautiful blossoms.
- For your vegetable garden, plant seeds for beans, beets, carrots, chard, cucumbers, pumpkins, radish, and spinach and transplant kohlrabi, lettuce, cauliflower, celery.
- Keep up with the job of mowing, setting your mower to a height of about three inches. Don't remove more than one-third of the blades at one cutting.
- Water newly planted trees and shrubs, ground cover plants, and perennials if there isn't enough rain.
- Your most important mid-spring garden job is to weed. Weeds are growing vigorously so getting them now will mean less weeding later in the season and you'll also prevent weeds from going to seed.
- Cover your planting beds with 2-3 inches of mulch.
- Another important spring garden job is to stake perennials such as delphiniums and peonies before they've grown too tall (bamboo sticks and string do a better job than most commercial supports).
- Water your garden and your lawn if it doesn't rain enough – most plants need an inch of water per week.
Having garden problems? Call the Master Gardener Hotline Monday to Thursday, 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., at 1-800-448-1011 (only in Rhode Island)...March through October.
In a POISON EMERGENCY call 1-800-222-1222. For more information visit the Regional Center for Poison Control and Prevention, serving Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
RI DEM Emergency Response 24-hour number for spills or emergengies:
401-222-3070
