Gardening Tips in May
With the days finally starting to warm up, it’s easy to forget that the nights can still be quite cold producing sudden sharp frosts which can destroy delicate young foliage and flowers. Now is also the time to stop feeding birds with nuts (too many carbohydrates) and they have a much better chance with a balanced diet of insects and seeds.
How ‘early’ or how ‘late’ the season depends on the amount of direct sunshine and rainfall. Each year you will have to play by ear as regards when to plant out and when you think the last of the frosts have gone. Geography too has its part to play and in general the south of the country receives the best of the sun, although there are always local exceptions.
Preparation
Clear away spring bedding and prepare the ground for summer bedding i.e. weed, rake, and add organic matter to the soilIf you haven't top dressed your borders with a good 3” layer of compost there is still time, but make sure it is well rotted. Compost is much easier to apply before most of the plants start poking their heads through.
Propagation
The best time to take cuttings for me is in late spring when there is plenty of new growth to choose from, which has a better chance of rooting than older stems. Another advantage of taking them in spring rather than in autumn is you may have the enjoyment of looking after them during the warm days of summer.If you have cuttings or seedlings already on the go keep them moist and on sunny days keep the vents open and make sure they don’t dry out.
Once seedlings and cuttings are big enough pot up into a bigger sized pot.
Pruning
Restrain from cutting back the remaining foliage on daffs and tulips wait till there brown and dead lookingDeadhead any spent blooms on early roses, irises and other early flowers, whenever the seeds are not required
Prune shrubs that have any of the three D’s: Dead, damaged or diseased stems or branches. Also prune off any wayward shoots.
Planting
Lift and divide primroses and polyanthus, once they have finished flowering. Replant into enriched soil.If you have not already bought your summer bedding now is the time with the frosts all but gone.
With the soil starting to warm up, but still moist from the winter rains, it is a good time to plant shrubs and trees without the need for excessive watering regimes.
Make up your hanging baskets but bring in to a conservatory or greenhouse if warning of frost.
Some seeds can be sown directly into the ground now such as sweet pea, cosmos, nightscent, iberis, and larkspur. However rake the ground surface into a fine tilth first and water in gently.
Plant out pond plants in aquatic compost which is low in nutrients, and before submerging cover with a heavy layer of gravel. This prevents the soil from floating away and stops fish disturbing the roots. Waterlillies and other clump forming aquatic plants can be divided now.
It is a good time to sow spring flowering biennial plants such as wallfowers, bellis perennis, forget me nots, sweet williams, and winter flowering pansies.
Edibles
If you’re interested in self-sufficiency – now is a good time to sow veg. Try French and runner beans, beetroot, carrots, parsnips and salad crops, also try cabbages and kales. Also sow sweetcorn, marrows and courgettes.To provide crops throughout the season, don’t sow the seeds all at the same time, but a new batch every couple of weeks.
Plants that are growing steadily in the greenhouse can start to be hardened off such as tomatoes, peppers, aubergines and squashes. However some protection through chilly nights will still be required. In warmer areas plant outdoors from mid-May into fertile, well-prepared soil.
If you didn’t have time to sow tomatoes earlier in the year, many garden centres have young plants on sale, try bush varieties such as Red Alert and Tornado.
Herbs such as basil, coriander, dill, and culinary fennel may also be sown directly into the soil now in a sunny free-draining position. The last three should be separated to stop cross-pollination. Make fortnightly sowings of rocket and other salad crops saving a small fortune throughout the summer months!
Strawberry plants will be in the shops now, but put some straw around the bases to stop mud splash.
Lawns
It is a great time to seed and lay your lawns. If you lay turf make sure it does not dry out or it will shrink and do not walk on it for 2 to 3 weeks.Existing lawns could be given a new lease of life by seeding any bare patches and top dressing.
If you haven’t already done so, weed and feed your lawns as the weeds are actively growing now.
Now grass is growing well, lower the blades slightly, cutting shorter and shorter each time.
Indoor plants
Repot indoor plants, begin regular watering and feeding.Some pruning may be necessary taking out any damage, dead or diseased areas. Now is also the time to take some cuttings.
Once warm enough give them a good clean and place outside but not in direct sunlight
Maintenance
Time to keep an eye on the local slug and snail population as well as those nasty aphids, remember healthier plants are less susceptible to attack. The most organic way of controlling pests is by using your hands.Keep on top of your weeds! This cannot be stressed enough. A few minutes hoeing once a week will produce a relatively weed-free border all year. Hoeing is best done when it is sunny with a dry wind.
Towards the end of the month trim your hedges and topiary.
Provide supports for your climbers and tie in wayward shoots.
Start providing supports for herbaceous plants. Start low and build upwards as large canes now will look unsightly.
Water any containers now that it is getting warmer as the soil is prone to drying out fast. Also give potted plants such as lilies a good feed.
This is the best time to feed and weed your lawn. A more organic method of treating weeds is to pour some salt or hot water on the old weed. But don’t get any on the lawn!
Turn over your compost heap giving the materials a chance to break down and allow the air to circulate through.
Try some mulch to prevent the weeds from coming through.
Make sure and feed your bulbs at this time of the year.
Give newly planted plants a good soak to help them get established.
Always keep a sheet of horticultural fleece or newspaper handy in case of any sign of frost
Here is a selection of plants that look particularly good in May
- Trees
- Acer palmatum
- Aesculus hippocastanum
- Betula pendula
- Fagus sylvatica
- Prunus padus 'Watereri'
- Prunus serrula
- Taxus baccata
- Foliage plants
- Alchemilla mollis
- Astilbe x arendsii
- Buxus sempervirens
- Cynara cardunculus
- Dicksonia antartica
- Epimedium x rubrum
- Euphorbia characias wulfenii
- Euphorbia griffithii ‘Fireglow’
- Gunnera manicata
- Hosta ‘Big Daddy’
- Tiarella cordifolia
- Flowers and bulbs
- Allium ‘Purple Sensation’
- Brunnera macrophylla
- Camassia cusikii 'Zwanenburg'
- Centaurea cyanus
- Clematis montana f. grandiflora
- Corydalis lutea
- Digitalis purpurea
- Exochorda x macrantha 'The Bride'
- Fritillaria imperialis
- Hyacinthoides non-scripta
- Iris siberica
- Laburnum x watereri 'Vossi'
- Meconopsis betonicifolia
- Nigella damascens
- Rhododendron cinnabarinum subsp. Xanthocodon
- Tulipa ‘Attila’
- Wisteria sinensis
