May is the busiest month in the garden with plenty to do & lots to enjoy! Spring bulbs have stopped blooming & will be looking a bit worse for wear but try to leave the foliage in place as these will make the food the bulb needs to produce flowers next year. It's fine to cut off the flower heads & that should help them look better. Once the leaves have turned yellow they won't be producing food any longer so they can be cut down. Once spring-flowering shrubs such as Choisya & Ribes have flowered you can cut them back. When frost have passed prune tender plants like Penstemon, Caryopteris and Fuchsia – don’t forget to propagate your cuttings.
May is the time to get going with perennials as the ground is warm & they'll start growing more quickly. Only plant out the ones that can stand a little frost, but if your garden is generally frost-free, tender plants such as Dahlias can be put out too. Get ahead of the game by putting in support canes or pea sticks next to sweet peas, climbing roses, runner beans & peas. Tie in summer-flowering climbers regularly as once plants have got going it's difficult to try to prop them up & they may already be damaged. Buy extra plants if you need an easy fix to spaces. Little plugs of sweet peas are handy for slotting into any spot where they'll have something to climb up & will give enormous joy as the year goes on.
Lawns – lower the blade if you want to mow less frequently and apply a weed killer late April to early May – spot weed where necessary after this. Stay on top of the border weeds - a quick hoe (the gardeners best weapon) once a week will mean they don't compete for water, light or nutrients with the plants you want to grow.
Grow Your Own! Lettuce is one of the vegetables that is very easy to grow in pots and you can
even grow it in a small container. Healthy and continuously productive, this crispy salad green has many qualities that make it a blessing for health. Gardening is therapeutic on so many levels. Just being around nature can improve your mood & be more at peace. The act of digging, planting & watering can help take your mind off of the stresses of daily life so enjoy your gardening and your emerging colours!
Alan Caswell
May is the time to get going with perennials as the ground is warm & they'll start growing more quickly. Only plant out the ones that can stand a little frost, but if your garden is generally frost-free, tender plants such as Dahlias can be put out too. Get ahead of the game by putting in support canes or pea sticks next to sweet peas, climbing roses, runner beans & peas. Tie in summer-flowering climbers regularly as once plants have got going it's difficult to try to prop them up & they may already be damaged. Buy extra plants if you need an easy fix to spaces. Little plugs of sweet peas are handy for slotting into any spot where they'll have something to climb up & will give enormous joy as the year goes on.
Lawns – lower the blade if you want to mow less frequently and apply a weed killer late April to early May – spot weed where necessary after this. Stay on top of the border weeds - a quick hoe (the gardeners best weapon) once a week will mean they don't compete for water, light or nutrients with the plants you want to grow.
Grow Your Own! Lettuce is one of the vegetables that is very easy to grow in pots and you can
even grow it in a small container. Healthy and continuously productive, this crispy salad green has many qualities that make it a blessing for health. Gardening is therapeutic on so many levels. Just being around nature can improve your mood & be more at peace. The act of digging, planting & watering can help take your mind off of the stresses of daily life so enjoy your gardening and your emerging colours!
Alan Caswell
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