MAY IN YOUR GARDEN

Although the weather as I write is not too good with winter coming back again, spring really has sprung and with the clocks going back last weekend summer is surely on the way.  In the flower garden divide clumps of herbaceous plants that you want to propagate and put supports in place for any of these plants before they are too tall, or for those - like peonies - that produce heavy blooms.   Cut back clumps of spring-flowering perennials such as Pulmonaria and Doronicum.  Allow the foliage of daffodils and other spring-flowering bulbs to die down naturally.  If your daffs didn’t bloom this year it may well be that they weren’t planted deep enough.  Lift them and replant them at least three times their depth and apply a liquid fertiliser to them. This should do the trick. Harden off plants raised from seed and cuttings by leaving them outside for gradually increasing periods of time, but watch out for late frosts.  Thin out direct sowings of hardy annuals.  Prick out indoor sowings when they are large enough to handle without damage.
Spray roses regularly against greenfly and black spot, repeating at fortnightly intervals.   Nerine bowdenii can be planted out now in good soil, positioning them at the base of a sunny brick wall or fence.  Plant out cannas and dahlias when danger of frost is past.  Plant out border chrysanthemums.  Hoe between plants to control weeds.   Sow half-hardy annuals outdoors.  Plant out greenhouse raised sweet peas.  Plant up hanging baskets but keep them inside until all frost is past.
Plant out shrubs that are tender when young (arbutus, choisya, fuchsia. and hydrangea).  Keep well watered until established. Cut off dead flower heads and thin out weak shoots of shrubs that have finished flowering.  Cut hard back neglected privet to encourage new bushy growth.  Trim winter-flowering heathers now that their flowering display is over.  Weeping trees and shrubs producing any upright shoots should have these pruned out. Prune spring flowering shrubs and early clematis such as Montana after flowering.
Work straw around and under strawberry plants to prevent the fruit from getting soiled and protect them from slug damage. Pick off any runners unless you wish to make new plants.  Prune bush peach trees.  Continue thinning peaches and nectarines in easy stages.  Pick off and burn any of the leaves that are showing signs of leaf curl.  Give plants a foliar feed.  Thin out raspberry canes to about six new ones per plant.  
Sow broad beans, french beans, runner beans, beetroot, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, endives, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, onions, parsley, parsnips, peas, radish, salsify, rocket, scorzonera, spinach, spring onions, swedes, sweet corn, and turnips outside if weather permits.  Plant main crop potatoes, greenhouse raised broad beans, runner beans, peas, onions, lettuce and leeks. Plant out celery. Earth up potatoes.
May is a good month to repair your lawn. Fill in the bare spots by slightly loosening surface of the soil and sow a good quality lawn seed over the area.  Tamp the seed in gently and water.  Keep the patch moist by covering with a light mulch of lawn clippings.
Setting your mower for a higher cut during the spring months will help the grass to grow in fuller and help choke out the weeds.

© Irene Allaway

Reproduced from the BASINGA, Parish Magazine of Old Basing and Lychpit, by kind permission of the Editor and Author, Irene Allaway.