May is the month to get your hands dirty and start gardening. Gardening experts at Gardener’s World have shared their tips on what to add to your to-do list this month. With the weather warming up, it’s time to pick some vegetables you planted earlier in the year and keep an eye out for certain pests. There are also plenty of flowers you should plant to ensure your borders and beds look stunning until later this summer.
It’s time to get rid of any spring bedding which might have faded and add them to your compost bin, including wallflowers and forget-me-nots, the experts explained. Add in summer bedding as well as any tender annuals, like sunflowers, but make sure to check the weather won’t take a turn before doing this. To keep everything looking in tiptop condition, you should also prune shrubs after they’ve flowered “to keep them compact.” You can also sow annuals like California poppies “for color from August into autumn,” they said. You should double-check for any weeds before sowing new seeds as well.
When it comes to fruit and vegetables, you can sow certain vegetables including sweetcorn and salad leaves in May, the gardening experts shared. “Start sowing dwarf and climbing French beans, as well as runner beans, directly outdoors in warm weather,” they added. When it comes to picking, you can begin to grab rhubarb stems as they pop up and unearth potatoes. The pros also recommended keeping “plenty of fleece handy to protect young seedlings or fruit blossom, if late frosts are forecast.” To control pests, it’s a good idea to hang pheromone traps in certain trees, including apple and plum trees – you can continue to do this until later in the summer. You should also keep an eye out for pesky snails who might damage your plants by heading outside during damp weather and looking for them.
May is the perfect time to start planting certain flowers and vegetables. The experts from Gardener’s World recommend planting summer bedding and tender annuals like sunflowers. Pruning shrubs after they’ve flowered is also a good idea to keep them compact. Sowing annuals like California poppies will give your garden color from August into autumn. However, make sure to check for any weeds before sowing new seeds.
When it comes to fruit and vegetables, sowing sweetcorn and salad leaves is possible in May. Dwarf and climbing French beans, as well as runner beans, can be sowed directly outdoors in warm weather. Rhubarb stems and potatoes can be picked during this month. It’s important to keep fleece handy to protect young seedlings or fruit blossom, especially if late frosts are forecast. To control pests, pheromone traps can be hung in certain trees, including apple and plum trees. Snails are also a common pest during this month, so keep an eye out for them during damp weather.
In conclusion, May is a busy month for gardening. With plenty of tasks to do, it’s important to prioritize what needs to be done first. Whether it’s planting flowers or vegetables, pruning shrubs, or controlling pests, there’s always something to be done in the garden. By following these tips from Gardener’s World, your outdoor space will thrive for the rest of the year.
