Maryland Grows

Ornamental Plants

• Attract beneficial insects to your landscape by planting a wide variety of flowering annuals and perennials that will bloom over the entire growing season. Good choices are plants in the following families: daisy (marigolds, daisies, asters, mums), carrot (dill, fennel, anise, yarrow, parsley) and mint (all mints and thymes).
• Pinch out the flower buds of fall blooming asters, mums, goldenrod and other fall bloomers to keep plants bushy and prevent early flowering.

Houseplants

• Fertilize houseplants now that they are actively growing again.
• If you want to take your houseplants outdoors, keep them out of full-sun locations until they are fully acclimated to outdoor conditions.
• Monitor houseplants that are outside for insect problems.

Vegetables

• The suckers or succulent shoots that develop from tomato plants at the soil line should be removed throughout the season. You can plant these suckers for a late crop.
• Now is a good time to plant a second crop of radishes, beets, and beans to make full use of available garden space. View our Vegetable Planting Calendar to plan for more succession planting schedules.

More tips from the Home & Garden Information Center

The Home & Garden Information Center’s horticulturists are available year-round to answer your plant and pest questions. In addition to gardening questions, we cover houseplants, indoor pests, and more. Send your questions and photos to Ask an Expert!