May – In Your Garden – Greenkey Garden & Home

After months of preparation your efforts will be springing to life. Flowers will start flowering, providing plenty to keep the wildlife busy. Vegetable patched will be showing signs of growth.

May is a busy time in the garden but with longer days, warmer temperatures it is the perfect time to get planting and maybe even try something new.

In the garden

Liquid feed young plants regularly to keep them growing strongly
Sow half-hardy annual seeds outdoors where they are to flower
Tidy up Clematis montanaonce if it has finished flowering
Clear pots and containers to make way for summer displays
Prune spring-flowering shrubs once they have finished flowering

In the greenhouse

Introduce biological controls at the first sign of problems
Move tender plants out of the greenhouse once the risk of frost has passed
Pot on seedlings as soon as they are big enough to handle
Sow French beans in individual pots for planting out next month
Take softwood cuttings of herbs

On the allotment/vegetable garden

Plant out tender vegetables once the frosts have passed
Tie in tomatoes and keep liquid feeding them
Put straw under strawberries to prevent young fruit rotting
Sow sweetcorn in blocks to aid pollination and sow root vegetables
Earth up potatoes once growth reaches about 25cm
Plant out dahlias at the end of the month

Lawn

May is also the month to weed and apply feed to the lawn. As it’s growing so well, the grass should fill the gaps left by any weeds that are killed off. Choose a dry day and follow the packet instructions.

General Jobs

Stay on top of the weeds if you can. A quick hoe once a week will keep them at bay and will mean they don’t compete for water, light or nutrients with the plants you want to grow.

Watering

Keep on top of watering – it is vitally important to keep plants irrigated, particularly in pots and containers. Place saucers under pots with thirsty plants. If you have planted new hedging during the spring, ensure that it is watered regularly during the first year. Install a water butt or make use of grey water during dry spells.