What Gardening to do in May
A reliable indicator that summer is well on the way is the arrival of the first of the garden shows and open days, which can inspire you to ask yourself what gardening to do in May! Take some time to visit some of the many gardens that will be opening up to the public to glean ideas and get started.
Between visiting flower shows, there’s plenty to do in your garden. You can now begin harvesting the first delicious early salad crops, planted out earlier in the year. To guarantee a regular succession of young vegetables throughout the summer months, sow seeds at weekly intervals so you don’t get a glut all at once.
Gardening in May – Keeping on top of Weeds
Although it’s a bit of a chore, hoe in between plants and vegetables as the weeds start to spurt in the warmer weather. Keeping on top of the weeds at this time of year will pay off in the long term. I’ve invested in an ocillating hoe for the first time on the recommendation of one of our maintenance team, Kimberley. This is the best hoe I’ve ever had and at just over £30.00 well worth the money!
What gardening to do in May includes continuing to deadhead spring flowering bulbs that have gone over; this allows the bulb to store up more energy to produce flowers next year. You must leave the foliage intact for at least 6 weeks after flowering, but simply snap off the flower heads with your fingers or a pair of secateurs. Use a general organic fertiliser around the base of the bulbs to encourage the development of new flowers for next year.
What Flowers to Plant in May
Containers can be planted up with summer bedding plants from about the middle of May. It’s worth removing the old compost if it has been in your container since last year. New peat free compost will give your plants a better start. Add water retaining granules and slow release fertiliser to keep the container fed all summer. Remember containers dry out very quickly so if you’re planning to keep a dazzling display going for the whole summer – keep watering or set up an irrigation system.
This month annual plants will become available in shops and are ideal for planting in containers, giving an instant effect. Choose plants that give an interesting colour and texture contrast. The deep, velvety tones of Petunia ‘Storm Blue’ mix beautifully with the clean, white flowers of Geranium ‘Maverick White.’ For an attention seeking duo, the high-voltage contrast of Zinnia ‘Profusion Orange’ and Verbena ‘Homestead Purple’ creates maximum impact.
Other Gardening Jobs for May
If you planted new shrubs and trees over the winter keep an eye on them, especially after the dry March and early April we have had this year. A few days of sun, accompanied by breezes, will dry out the soil surprisingly quickly so watering may have to be done on a daily basis. Any organic matter, such as well rotted manure, garden compost or even a layer of grass clippings applied as a mulch, will help with retaining water. If possible, water in the evening when there is less chance of evaporation.
Lawns – What Gardening to do in May
This is the best month to sow or repair a new lawn from seed before the soil becomes too dry. Preparation is the key to a good lawn – it’s much easier to fix soil problems before you’ve got your new lawn in place. Clearing the area by removing any large stones, weeds or other debris will reward you with better grass growth. If you have clay soil, mix in sharp sand to aid drainage and help prevent the build-up of moss.
Many people love a stripy green lawn but it can be hard work to keep it looking good. Sometimes there are areas in a garden where you might want a patch of green without all the hassle of maintenance, where mowing grass is not a viable option. In these situations there are plants that could do the job for you. Perhaps one of the best alternatives to a lawn, especially in ‘No Mow May’ is to create a wildflower meadow with a path mown through. There are many different varieties of wildflower meadow seed mixes available to suit all conditions. They can be tricky to establish but once you’ve got the hang of it, a wildflower meadow is not only a thing of beauty, great for wildlife, and, low maintenance!
An easy but more costly option to sowing seeds is to buy wildflower turf, which is specially grown with established wildflowers. You can buy wildflower turf for almost any position or soil in the garden, shady or full sun, we use wildflower turf in our projects for an instant effect.
What Plants to Prune in May?
Prune Spring flowering shrubs once they have finished flowering. Examples are things like Kerria Japonica, Forsythia, and Spirea.
If you have one, prune the glorious Clematis Montana after it has flowered. This beauty is a very fast growing climber that can easily get out of hand unless pruned hard every year. It’s a good choice of plant if you have an ugly wall or fence that you want to cover quickly.
What Vegetables to Plant in May
Sow and plant out tender vegetables at the end of the month and begin harvesting the first delicious early vegetables planted out earlier in the year. To guarantee a regular succession of young vegetables throughout the summer months, sow seeds at weekly intervals so you don’t get a glut all at once. Although it’s a bit of a chore, hoe in between plants and vegetables as the weeds start to spurt in the warmer weather. Keeping on top of the weeds at this time of year will pay off in the long term
When growing fruit and vegetables it’s vital to attract pollinating insects to increase the chances of a bumper harvest. The best way to do this is by growing some nectar-heavy flowering plants around the edibles. For example sowing seeds of poached egg flowers directly under soft fruits will attract bees, hoverflies and other beneficial creatures. A good plant partnership is to grow sweet peas with climbing beans on a wigwam of canes. The sweet peas provide colour and interest to the structure, along with attracting pollinators. For other ideas on companion planting see the article on our website: https://oxfordgardendesign.co.uk/companion-planting/
What gardening to do in May includes lightly trimming formal evergreen hedges, such as box, even if it hasn’t grown very much yet. Box doesn’t take kindly to being cut back hard, so the sooner its trimmed the better it keeps its shape. Although it takes more time, this job is best done with hand shears, as opposed to a mechanical cutter, for a better finish. You can also take cuttings from any shoots about 8cm (3 inches) long. Trim each cutting just below a leaf joint, pot into cuttings compost, cover with clear polythene and leave to root in a shady corner of the garden. In a few weeks they should have rooted so you can pot them up to plant in another part of the garden. This year I’ve got problem with box blight on hedges that have been established for over ten years, and, although it’s too early to predict, it could have another infestation of box tree caterpillars. We’ve cut out all the infected parts and sprayed with Xen Tari but sadly, I’m thinking I may have to replace all the box hedging and topiary in my garden. If you’ve got the same problem and are considering alternatives, read my article on alternatives to box hedges. I hope it helps!
If you need help with your garden and live in the Oxfordshire area, we’d love to help. Just get in touch here or call us on 01993 813721 and we’d be pleased to chat about how we could maintain your garden.