Vegetable and Perennial Care in May

The hens and roosters have been enjoying their time free ranging, especially over the last few days when the temperature has reached 90 degrees. They find a nice cool spot under the bushes and take dust baths in the cool soil. I have had to completely ban them from the vegetable garden, closing the gate. They were starting to eat the lettuce and young strawberries. They still are munching on the grass and clovers that run through the lawn. I was told by an organic chicken farmer that allowing chickens to graze on grass and clover makes their bones very hard as well as their egg shells. My girls egg shells are so thick you need to use a little muscle to crack them.
Grace my Bantam hen is still broody, trying to sit on eggs. She has removed all the feathers on her chest, to help keep the eggs as closes to her skin so that she can keep them warm. I feel bad to keep removing her, but this late in the season with the heat in the coop it is for her own health that she needs to be removed. Poor frustrated girl.
The carrots and beet shoots are up and I will be thinning the new seedlings this weekend. You need to thin all your seedlings, especially vegetables that grow in the ground. They will grow in and around each other and ruin the crop if you do not thin. I thin to about 1″ – 1 1/2″ for carrots, beets, and radishes. I tend to allow the lettuce and greens to grow closely together, but when air can not circulate around the greens you will have to watch for mildew and pests. Thinning as needed.
To learn more May garden tips and tricks check out my blog post.