Another May treat is provided by the serviceberry tree we planted a few years ago. Its berries ripen toward the end the month and I like to start each morning by picking a handful to put on my cereal. Unfortunately, the robins are as fond of these small blue fruits as I am, and it's a constant battle to keep them from gobbling the whole crop. May. If you didn't fertilize the lawn in April, feed it now. As the days grow warmer, use seeds, sprigs or sod to start or patch lawns of Bermuda, centipede and zoysia.
Japanese beetles start zooming in toward the end of the month.
They actually ignore nearby roses in order to wallow by the dozen amid the tiny flowers of our vine. Indeed, since this vine has been in the yard, I've noticed a dramatic decrease in the beetle damage to other plants. I capitalize on this bizarre beetle behavior by standing on a stepladder and knocking the pests off into a tub of soapy water, but this year I'm thinking about vacuuming them into oblivion. Prune vines that have finished blooming, including akebia and Carolina jessamine. Remove faded blossoms and lightly trim trumpet honeysuckle to encourage a second flush of flowers.