Gardening tips for May

The RHS top 10 jobs for this month

1. Watch out for late frosts. Protect tender plants
2. Earth up potatoes, and promptly plant any still remaining
3. Plant out summer bedding at the end of the month (except in cold areas)
4. Collect rainwater and investigate ways to recycle water for irrigation
5. Regularly hoe off weeds
6. Open greenhouse vents and doors on warm days
7. Mow lawns weekly
8. Check for nesting birds before clipping hedges
9. Lift and divide overcrowded clumps of daffodils and other spring-flowering bulbs
10. Watch out for viburnum beetle and lily beetle grubs

Week 1

- Start pruning bush roses - don’t worry about precision pruning, just clip them back with the shears (Gardeners’ World proved this several years ago)
- Some hardy annuals such as the poached egg flower can be sown direct now
- The lawn should be given attention by feeding the parts where the grass is thin and seeding areas where the grass has been completely worn away
- Delicate plants such as hostas need a bit of slug protection around this time – use beer traps or surround the emerging leaves with coarse grit
- If you have enjoyed pot narcissi, then plant the bulbs now around 4” below the surface of the soil

Week 2

- Look at all paths and repair where needed.
- New borders or vacant areas should be prepared ready to receive biennials and perennials next month
- Dahlia roots, Marvels of Peru and old pelargoniums should be placed in the warm so that cuttings can be obtained.
- Tidy up plants such as Wallflowers by cutting away broken shoots, then cover exposed roots and firm all plants into the ground
- Split up rockery plants by division.
- Now is the time to tidy the creepers. Be ruthless with old, worn out and leggy growth

Week 3

- Box edging should be trimmed and damaged plants replaced. Hollies, Laurels, Bays, Rhododendrons and Conifers can be moved or trimmed.
- New Asparagus beds should be made when required
- Keep the temperature to 45 to 50F (7 to 10C) at night
- Lots of seeds can be sown this month, such as ageratums, antirrhinums (snapdragon), cannas, carnations, celosias (cocks comb), China asters, chrysanthemums, delphiniums, dianthus, freesias, gloxinias, heliotropes, hollyhocks, lobelias, pansies, Penstemons, petunias, polyanthus, primulas, salvias, stocks and verbenas. Later in the month try: alyssum, anchusas, anemones, arabis, aralias, arenaria, asparagus, asters, balsams, calceolarias, calendulas, cinerarias, clivias, coleus Blumei, draba, eryngiums, fuchsias, grevilleas, linums, nasturtiums, nemesia, nicotiana, perilla, phloxes, salpiglossis, scabious, stocks (ten-week), streptocarpus, sweet peas, tagetes (African marigolds) thunbergias and zinnias.

Week 4

- Now is the time to try cuttings of: aburilons, acacias, carnations (winter flowering or perpetual), chrysanthemums (single late-flowering), fuchsias, gardenias, geraniums and petunias.
- Sow vegetable seeds. Try Broad beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflowers, corn salad, dwarf French beans, kale, kohl rabi, leeks, lettuces, onions, parsley, parsnips, peas, radishes, seakale, shallots, spinach, swedes, tomatoes and turnips.
- Have a look round and clean up areas such as the shrub border
- Rooted cuttings of fuchsias, geraniums (pelargoniums), heliotropes and marguerites, should be potted on.

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