Hard upon the (late) April repost of monthly planning from Jen at Unearthing This Life, here’s what to do in May (a day early)! My May will be taken up with continuing rehabbing (ish) of my house, and of course, getting the garden up and running.
Gardening:
- Skip trimming shrubbery if you notice any nesting. Let those birds have some solitude!
- Plant annuals if you’re safe from frosts and trim back perennials if needed in warmer zones.
- Zone 4 and lower transplant tomatoes, peppers, cucurbits and other warm weather crops. Zone 5 and up– not til the end of the month!
- Tidy up bulb foliage if it begins to die back.
- Allow columbine and foxgloves to go to seed and collect some for next year.
- Trim back blooms on roses and day lilies to promote re-blooming.
- Keep shears and trimmers clean and available for deadheading and pruning.
Outdoors/Yard:
- Set up and clean bird baths.
- Clean Patio Furniture.
- Clean grill.
- Repair/purchase water hoses and fixtures. If appropriate, make sure water barrel systems are in good repair and have no algae buildup.
- Make sure gutters are draining properly by watching them during a heavy rain. If there’s any overflow or tipping, you may need to have them cleaned or repaired.
- If needed, have your air conditioner checked. Clean any debris and trim back plants to allow maximum airflow.
- Start clearing paths to wild berries and keep them accessable until harvests are done.
Animals:
- Consider weaning goats and sheep if necessary.
- It may not be to late to purchase chicks and other fowl from your local farmers co-op.
- Watch for hummingbirds to return. Be prepared with clean feeders and simple syrup (four parts water to one part sugar).
- Bees – make sure you can locate queens and that they are laying. Check for foul brood, varroa mites, and hive beetles. Is your honey coming in yet? Do you need to feed your bees? Watch for swarming.
- Look into stocking your ponds with fish now that the cold weather is gone.
Indoors:
- Change air filters and adjust thermostat a few degrees to save on electricity.
- Clean ceiling fan blades and shades.
- Invest in a good window/box fan.
- Get your furnace and water heater serviced
- If you don’t already have one, prepare an emergency kit with 3 days worth of supplies and locate your safe place for severe weather.
- Locate and organize your picnic gear – get out there and enjoy the beautiful Spring weather at a moment’s notice!
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What projects do you have lined up for this month?
This is the perfect time of year to start using up pantry goods. With the coming of warmer weather comes the feeling of optimism. I no longer feel the need to conserve my food resources to make sure they last through the long winter. Those feelings give way to the hope of summer bounty and I finally feel safe eating up the last few jars of tomatoes. I know that in a few months, my tiny tomato seedlings will be producing pounds of fresh summer fruit that will be eaten fresh and canned for next winter. 
I find myself often in the pantry looking over jars of goods deciding what I want to make for dinner. If I spot a few jars of tomatoes, pepper relish, fire roasted red & jalapeno pepper, and a few jars of chutney, I’ll make a big pot of chili. From the freezer I’ll add some ground venison, beef stock and some frozen beet greens or spinach. If I’m lucky I’ll have a bottle of beer as well to add for good measure. A few heirloom beans will also get added to the pot if there are any left in the pantry. If we have some frozen milk left from our winter stores, I’ll make some fresh mozzarella, and who doesn’t love a sprinkling of fresh spring chives on top of any dish this time of year?
If I find myself with a lot of extra tomatoes, I’ll make up a big batch of marinara. This will top fresh homemade pasta, or even a pan of lasagna if I have the time and energy to make cheese and noodles. 
Not only do all these dishes help clean out the pantry of last year’s bounty and make way for the new, they help save me time during this busy season in the garden. A big batch of of chili can be eaten on for many days as can a big pan of lasagna (and they get better with age). If I make an extra big batch I’ll freeze it in meal sized portions for quick meals during the busy days of spring and early summer. My goal is to have most of the jars in the pantry empty by tomato canning season and to have most of the berries eaten from the freezer before the strawberries come on. 
