Gardening jobs this month: May

What to do in the garden in May from the gardening experts of Prima and Country Living

From Country Living gardening editor Stephanie Donaldson:

 

● Net brassicas to keep off cabbage white butterflies

 

● Sow pumpkins and squash seeds directly into prepared beds and cover with fleece until the risk of frost has passed

 

● Mulch your borders by the middle of the month

 

● Harden-off young plants by moving them outdoors on warm days

 

●  Remove runners from strawberry plants if they are not needed. 

 

●  Move citrus trees to a sunny sheltered spot outdoors for the summer.

 

●  Harden off young plants gradually by putting them outdoors during the day or leaving greenhouse doors and windows open.

 

●  Clear containers for summer displays. Bulbs can be moved to a trench in the garden to allow them to die back naturally before storing.

 

 

 

From Prima gardening expert Ann-Marie Powell:

 

● Choose strong, healthy bedding plants to add to windowboxes, hanging baskets and containers.

 

● Prune lavender back hard, but never cut into old wood.

 

● Sow climbing French beans, courgettes, cucumbers, leeks, runner beans, squash and sweetcorn direct into soil.

 

● Cut any runners that have sprouted on strawberry plants because they weaken the main plant, and pot them on to form new plants.

 

● Sow a little basil, coriander and parsley seed every fortnight to enjoy continual supplies.

 

● Prune shrubs that have finished flowering, including kerria, forsythia and spirea.

● Prune overgrown Clematis montana before it gets too out of control.

● Thin out hardy annuals as necessary.

● Keep pond weeds in check.

● Give large aquatic plants a feed by pushing slow-release fertiliser tablets into the soil.

● Keep an eye on roses and treat them as soon as you see a pest or disease.



 

 

 

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