May Jobs

Ornamental Garden:

• This month is a fast period of growth. Late frosts may catch early blooms  – remove any damaged growth.
• Spray roses with Rose Clear or similar.
• Keep on top of weeding. 
• Continue to remove spent flowers of spring bulbs but not the foliage until it has withered and yellowed.
• Chelsea-chop time – If the nepeta and sedums are looking leggy then cutback by a third to encourage compact growth that will not collapse later in the season. This can be applied to the lavender, echinops, echinacea, aster, helenium and salvia too if felt necessary.
• Trim rosemary, thyme and sage if not done in April.
• Cutback withered daffodil or tulip stems once they have turned yellow.
• Trim grass edges of borders regularly to keep neat and tidy.
• Prune spring flowering clematis after it has flowered.
• Stake and support herbaceous perennials if necessary.
• If daffodils gave a poor show lift and divide bulbs and replant.
• Continue deadheading spring bulbs.
• Start hardening off tender plants for planting out.
• Plant out dahlias towards the end of the month.
• Protect new plants from hungry slugs and snails.    

Vegetable Garden:

• Harvest Asparagus.
• Direct sow French beans and sweet corn if weather is warm enough.
• Start earthing up potatoes. 
  
• Harvest early crops such as radish / lettuce etc.
• Avoid planting tomatoes too early as they suffer if exposed to temperatures below 12°C.
  
• Sow pumpkins, cucumbers, courgettes, squashes under cover now and outdoors towards the end of the month.
• Lift and divide mint. 
• Mulch fruit plants
  
  

Other jobs around the garden:

• Feed & mow established lawns.
• Apply treatment to weeds within lawns.
• Keep on top of weeds by regularly hoeing ground.
• Keep the garden tidy and free of debris.
• Keep on top of watering - if the weather is warm make sure to do this daily to ensure the ground isn't dry.