Go organic. When the sun shines, there’s nothing better than a garden in May, so here are a few tips to get your garden looking its best. May’s a busy month in the garden. Join the RHS today and support our charitable work, Keep track of your plants with reminders & care tips – all to help you grow successfully, For the latest on RHS Shows in 2021, read more, RHS members get free access to RHS Gardens, Free entry to RHS members at selected times », Reduced prices on RHS Garden courses and workshops, General enquiries Instead, let it die and break down on its own and add. What to Do in the Garden in May. Protect carrots from carrot fly by covering with. These flamboyant tender perennials produce fantastic ornamental foliage that will bring a burst of exotic colour to any garden, whether that be as a statement focal point or in a border. times, RHS Registered Charity no. Harvest cool-weather crops. May and June Garden tasks make way for summer beauty and delicious edibles in the garden. There are also a number of other subjects which may be sown either outside or under cloches during early May including broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, peas, lettuce, radish, spinach and swede. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place. If you have a large lawn it may be worth-while hiring a scarifier, otherwise, the same job can be done using a wire rake (although it is quite a vigorous task). Adding lawn edging around the garden can make the space feel tidier and well-maintained! Plant summer bedding plants toward the end of month, if you live in southerly parts of the country (just to avoid late frosts, especially in northern England and Scotland). Created by David Coton on Monday, 30th of April, 2018. Northeast. Never allow new lawns to dry out. MAY IN YOUR GARDEN Hedging . It's also time to get back into the lawn mowing regime, as the lawn will be loving the warmer temperatures this month brings Summer is on its way and it's time to tidy up spring plants, plant out summer flowers and get planning for autumn. Or read on for a comprehensive list of other garden jobs to get on with this month: May's the perfect time to air your greenhouse out Feed and protect your garden with liquid feeds and rose food. Indeed, this year is slightly different, so assuming the garden centres re-open at some point during May, it will be the perfect time to get a few new plant varieties to extend the season of colour. With the recent hot weather encouraging everyone out into the garden and the threat of frost disappearing during May, David Coton is in no doubt that this is going to be a busy month. What to plant in May? Check for … Optimise your watering regime — watering early and late to get the most out of your water — and start collecting and recycling water whenever possible. When the sun shines, there’s nothing better than a garden in May, so here are a few tips to get your garden looking its best. Image: Sunflower SunBelievable® 'Brown Eyed Girl' from Thompson & Morgan, For the chance to be featured, share your plant pictures with uson Instagram by using the hashtag #YourTMGarden. Updated on Monday, 11th of May… © 2021 Thompson & Morgan. Organic mulches such as wood chips, … Try to make sure you choose a variety that will thrive in a British climate. MULCHING TREES & SHRUBS According to the International Society of Arboriculture, mulching, when done correctly, is one of the most beneficial practices a homeowner can do for the health of trees. What to plant in May? Look out for signs of blackspot on roses. You can use crushed eggshells to fertilize plants, deter pests (deer dislike the smell of albumen), and to feed birds.… Image: Glenn Young, Relax and enjoy the garden now that warmer weather has arrived Sowing and planting out bedding can begin, depending on regional weather variations, and you can take softwood cuttings. 4 – Growing Juicy Melons: One of the cool things you can do when gardening in May is to begin growing melons. Plants that can be planted from seed or direct sown in May include: cucumbers, pumpkins, summer squash, beans, corn, flowers, melons, okra, and winter squash. The weather outside is frightful, but there's plenty of delightful things to plant in the garden this month. These are the more tender vegetables which are: French Beans, Squashes, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Melon, … Some days will hotter than others, and you will not feel like working in the garden on … Water the grass during hot weather — that’s particularly important for newly seeded or turfed lawns. Image: Asparagus officinalis 'Mondeo' from Thompson & Morgan, Keep pests away from your strawberry crop Here are some suggestions and gardening tips for May specifically for your region of the country. Words: Jane Bellerby FLOWERS • Get the last of the autumn weeds out. If your waterlilies were lacking in flower last year, it may be time to divide. To keep your lawn in top-condition it needs to be removed at least once a year. May is a busy planting time in zone 7. Try planting, Take cuttings of tender perennials, such as, Prune out overcrowded and dead stems ofearly-flowering. You can also damp down your greenhouse on hot days to increase humidity and deter red spider mites. It is a time to stand back, have a good look, see where the gaps will be in June or later and then buy plants to fill them. Two Bank Holidays in May for many of us means that there is extra free time available to potter in the garden. Feel like starting a new project this month? It's also time to get back into the lawn mowing regime, as the lawn will be loving the warmer temperatures this month brings, Watch out for late frosts. Some cultivars, such as ‘Totally Tangerine’, continue all summer if you deadhead them regularly. What to plant in May? Summer’s just around the corner and everywhere you look, plants are flowering and bees are buzzing. There are always jobs, big and small; to do in the garden and sometimes we may not always have the time. Remove duckweed and blanket weed from ponds, and thin out submerged. Image: Lavender 'Hidcote' from Thompson & Morgan, Garnish your springtime meals with freshly harvested asparagus Leave out seeds for birds that are nesting. Salvia. Formal evergreen hedging such as Yew responds well to a light trim in May, even if it has not reached its final desired height (in which case trim the sides, but NOT the tops). If discovered, treat it with a systemic fungicide. Bring some personality to the garden with ornaments and garden decorations. Regularly remove dandelions from your lawn. Lower mower blades to their regular summer-cut height. Now that the weather is picking up it’s the perfect time to get growing. One of the main jobs in the flower garden during May is to harden off and plant out all the hardy and half-hardy bedding plants that you have been raising under glass. Take time out from all your hard work to relax and enjoy the garden now that the warmer weather has arrived. Protect tender plants, Earth up potatoes, and promptly plant any still remaining, Plant out summer bedding at the end of the month (except in cold areas), Water early and late to get the most out of your water, recycle water when possible, Open greenhouse vents and doors on warm days, Mow lawns weekly (consider leaving some areas uncut for wildlife), Check for nesting birds before clipping hedges, Lift and divide overcrowded clumps of daffodils and other spring-flowering bulbs, Watch out for viburnum beetle and lily beetle grubs. When the sun shines, there’s nothing better than a garden in May, so here are a few tips to get your garden looking its best. Sow quick-growing microgreens, such as kale and mustard, for nutrient-rich pickings in just a few weeks Transplant greenhouse tomatoes into growing bags or large containers and tie in the stems to supports Plant up hanging baskets and pots with summer … Water the grass during hot weather — that’s particularly important for newly seeded or turfed lawns. Image: Strawberry 'Just Add Cream' from Thompson & Morgan, Don't forget about the fish! May is often one of the most exciting months in the garden. When you put the May gardening tips by Zone and the chores by Region together, it’ll ensure you don’t overlook anything. Maple syrup season has ended throughout throughout the northeastern states and it’s now time to focus on those monthly garden chores for May. 020 3176 5800 Protect them from late frost under cover. 222879/SC038262. Harden off half-hardy plants by leaving them outside during the day and bringing them back under cover at night for 7 to 10 days before planting outdoors. Pruning is perhaps not the most glamorous or ‘fun’ job to do in the garden, but if you want to stop your garden from overgrowing … Summer’s just around the corner and everywhere you look, plants are flowering and bees are buzzing. Closely inspect plants for pests and diseases — early prevention is much easier than curing an infestation. More Garden Jobs to do in May. Looking after your lawn in May Apply lawn weedkiller to your lawn this month. Cut back flowered shoots of choisya to promote a second flush of flowers in autumn. So, read on to find out what to do in the garden in May? So, here’s a list of things to do in your garden in May: What to grow in May. Find out what you should be planting & growing in the garden now! Feed your lawn with a high-nitrogen fertiliser to encourage healthy green growth. Free entry to RHS members at selected If time is limited in the garden this month, here are our Top Ten tips: 1) Prune trees and shrubs. Even in May the weather can still be cold and some plants are best under glass and / or delay planting out at the end of the month or Early June.