Garden Detective: May chores  To encourage repeat blooms,
deadhead pansies as flowers To encourage repeat blooms, deadhead
pansies as flowers fade. Photo Credit: AP  advertisement |
advertise on newsday  Usually, May is the time to enjoy the
flowers that April's showers begot. But this year, we'll likely
be playing catch-up with all the chores we didn't get to last
month, which, truth be told, felt a lot like winter. Even though
it was slow to the party, spring has finally arrived. Here are
some chores that will finally get you out into the long-
anticipated sunshine!  1. It's safe to plant dahlia tubers in
the ground as soon as lilacs on your block are blooming.  2.
Time to plant roses: Mound soil at the bottom of planting hole
and spread roots over it before backfilling.  3. To encourage
repeat blooms, deadhead pansies and sweet peas as flowers fade.
4. Till compost into new planting beds, and add a couple of
handfuls of the black gold to individual planting holes to boost
nutrition and drainage.  5. If jun