Let’s have a look at what we need to do this month!
Lawns
At the time of writing, heavy rain has freshened up the lawn and started off growth again.
As long as you have not used a lawn weed killer recently, you can put the cuttings on the compost heap. These will rot down quickly and the heat produced will help to break down other plant material in the heap.
The Flower Garden
It’s a busy time for flowers. Now that the danger of late frosts has abated, you can be planting those tender annuals in prepared borders and hanging up newly planted hanging baskets.
Tulip bulbs can be lifted, dried out and stored till replanting in autumn.
Plant out late sowings of sweet peas. Early grown plants will be starting to flower, so pick them now and keep on picking to encourage a long flowering period for our favourite flowers.
Its not all about the summer display though, because you also need to think of spring displays next year, sowing wallflowers and sweet williams.
Maybe the herbaceous border is looking a little tired and in need of some fresh additions?
You can start perennials such as delphiniums and hollyhocks quite easily from seed.
Existing perennials will be producing rapid new growth, so it’s important to stake them and prevent wind damage.
The Vegetable Plot
By now, early sown summer salad leaves will probably have produced their first clippings of tasty, succulent leaves. Make sure you are planning your salad sowings to maintain continuity of cropping.
Tender vegetable plants such as tomatoes, peppers, courgettes and sweet corn can be planted out when the danger of late frosts has passed.
Pinch out the side shoots on ‘cordon-type’ tomatoes.
Continue to ‘earth-up’ early/second early potatoes to maximise yields and protect the developing tubers from light exposure.
The Fruit Patch
Strawberry fruit will be swelling and you may have some plants under cloches or mini-tunnels for even earlier cropping? Make sure your slug control is in place and consider netting in to protect from the birds.
Its time to prune ‘stone’ fruit like cherry and plums.
Shrubs
We tend to think that shrub pruning is a job for winter, but now is the time to attend to spring-flowering types now that blooming has finished.
Tie in the fresh young shoots of climbing and rambling roses at this time to save trouble later.
That's plenty to be getting on with this month - Happy Gardening!
