Get your garden summer-ready in May
Top jobs for the month from Mark Sage, Head of Horticulture at Wyevale Garden Centres
May in the garden hopefully means plenty of wonderful spring sunshine – and the prospect of warm summer months to come …
Spring bulbs and bedding are in full bloom. The garden’s really coming alive and, here at Wyevale Garden Centres, we’re enjoying the spring season, but also busy getting ready for the summer months ahead.
Here are my top jobs for May – I hope they help you create a garden you’ll love. You’ll find everything you need at your local centre.
Plant summer bedding in beds, pots and baskets. Annuals like petunias and geraniums are the classics, of course, but perennials like penstemons, agapanthus and heucheras are also a great idea because they will come back year after year. Our range of pre-grown plug plants make planting them so easy – just pop them in your pot!
If you’re planting hanging baskets, be sure to water them regularly – they dry out quickly especially in warmer weather.
In the veg patch
This is the time of year to make sure you’ve got lots of fresh veg growing to accompany your summer barbecue.
Sow climbing French beans and runner beans, peas and swede either in the greenhouse or covered outside. Brussels sprouts seedlings sown inside in April can now be planted outdoors. If you planted first-early peas in February or March, these should now be ready to harvest.
And don’t forget to regularly water thirsty young veg like tomatoes, cucumbers and courgettes that you might have planted last month.
Talking of summer, it’ll soon be time to dig in to strawberries and cream. When planting strawberries, position in a sunny, well-sheltered spot, add plenty of organic manure and leave about 18 inches between them, in rows about 30 inches apart. Or use a special tiered strawberry planter, ideal if you’ve only got a small space. With good weather, they’ll fruit around 60 days after planting – in time for Wimbledon!
Just a few words on plant care. Plants prefer rainwater, so a good idea is to get yourself a water-butt to collect spring and summer showers. And to make sure your precious crops aren’t nibbled by pests before you nibble them yourself, regularly check plant tips and the underside of leaves, treating if necessary. To keep weeds down in your beds, suppress them by spreading a top layer of mulch like bark, leaf-mould, wood chippings or compost – far easier than hoeing every week!
Time for some lawn TLC
A lush green lawn really brings your garden to life. The kids love playing on it. You love relaxing on it. And the family dog goes mad for it.
So, as the weather warms up, it’s time to give your lawn lots of TLC. In May and the coming months, it’ll be growing rapidly, so mow every week. Water regularly, give it a good feed and weed (an all-in-one solution is the easiest way) and reseed any bare patches. If you’re planning on establishing a new lawn from turf, now’s the time to do it.
Birds, bees & butterflies
Bees and butterflies and other pollinating insects are a vital part of every garden. So, to attract them, plant pollen-rich flowers. Some great plants to try are crocus, foxglove, lupin, buddleja, sedums and wisteria.
Just because it isn’t winter, don’t stop taking care of our feathered friends. As supplies of nuts and berries dwindle, keep feeding visiting and resident birds with high-energy foods, nuts and, to cool them down in warm weather, keep bird-baths topped up.
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Latest posts by Wyevale Garden Centres (see all)
- Love your summer garden in July - July 1, 2018
- In June, it’s time to enjoy your summer garden - June 1, 2018
- Get your garden summer-ready in May - May 2, 2018
- In April, spring is beginning to bloom - April 18, 2018
