LADYBUG SAYS ... ABUNDANT RAIN PUTS GARDENERS BEHIND

The abundance of rain during the month of May has left many gardeners far behind with gardening chores. Growth of shrubs and trees, particularly newly planted ones, has been abundant, and flowers have never been more magnificent or lasted as long.

Check flowering perennials and remove old flower heads to prevent seed formation. Early flowering perennials, such as candytuft, alyssum and others will benefit if they are cut back now to encourage new growth which will result in more compact growth for next season.

Someone has asked about the division of bleeding heart plant. Lift up the old plant, break the little roots into small sections and then plant three inches deep in rich compost. Do it most carefully because this writer lost a large plant by trying to divide it improperly.

Chrysanthemums can still be divided. Single, tender stems do better than woody clumps. With the abundance of rain, mums have grown by leaps and bounds. One should continue to cut them back until mid-July and these cuttings root readily in sand and can be planted to produce this year. An occasional feeding of liquid fertilizer will aid in better flowering plants.

Avoid working in the garden in the early morning or just after a rain as you can easily transfer fungal disease from plant to plant when everything is wet.

Plant gladiolus at two-week intervals through July for continuous bloom. They have shallow roots and generally require staking. Place stakes alongside bulbs at planting time to avoid injuring roots later.

Warm weather will make it easy to increase your supply of coleus plants to fill any gaps that may have developed in plantings. Just nip off about four to six inches in length, and set them in moist vermiculite in a protected shady spot. They should be rooted in a week to 10 days.

Once the first rush of bloom is over, petunias will start to push out new growth that will get pretty straggly in time unless it is kept firmly in its bounds. The answer is to keep cutting or pinching back the branches, to as much as four inches from the base of the plant. Picking petunias freely for use indoors will help keep them pruned and give you bouquets that will last a week or so in the house.

In some area wet weather has delayed many plantings where soil could not be worked due to being too wet. Fungus problems have been reported with flower buds rotting and in some cases the loss of the whole plant. Where plants have been affected cut out diseased parts or replace with new ones. Good stock is still available. If some plants have become too leggy do not hesitate to cut back to encourage side shoots.

Sow seeds of marigolds, cosmos, zinnias, alysuum and other annuals as they germinate quickly and will supply plants as needed for cut flowers and show later in the season.

More and more bedding plants are being sold in peat pots, which need a little special handling for best results. Soak each pot in water before planting and water each plant thoroughly after it is set in place. Then use a mulch, or water sufficiently, so the pot and the soil in it does not dry out.

Now and then poison ivy will sneak into a flower bed or shrubbery border where one cannot use a weed-killing spray as you normally would without hitting and hurting other plants nearby. Sometimes it is possible to set up cardboard shields to keep the spray in bounds. More often it will be best to use a paint brush to daub the ivy leaves with the killer. After 43 years at our house, there are still some sprigs of poison ivy that creep through each spring.

Lilies are glorious and long lasting cut flowers. However, the cutting should be done carefully if one is not to damage or destroy the bulb. The rule is to cut no more of the stem than is absolutely necessary and never more than a third. Lily foliage is rather sparse, and the plants need all they can have to develop for another year.

Lilies also appreciate a little attention after their blooming season is over. Mostly that involves clipping off the faded flowers, scratching a little fertilizer into the soil around them and watering through the rest of the season.

Fragrant blooming plants can be set around the patio, sun deck or terrace. Plant them in flower borders or in attractive tubs, ceramic pots or wooden boxes.

If there are posts to support awning or lath shadings, try growing vines such as Black-eyed Susan, or tame honeysuckle. Set out plants of annuals including night scented stock, petunias, nicotinia, lilies, roses and scented geraniums.

If there are flagstone on the patio, plant a bit of thyme between them. When crushed or walked on, it has a lovely fragrance. If you like herb scents include lemon balm, lavender, lemon verbena and rosemary.