Gardening tips for May

Last spring tidy-up 

If you haven't already done so, prune early spring-flowering shrubs like Forsythia or Chaenomeles once they finish flowering.  Cut back those wonderful shrubs like Cornus (Dogwood) to encourage them to produce new shoots that'll provide that vibrant display next winter.

Continue to deadhead spring bulbs and tie up the untidy foliage so it can die back naturally.  

Bulbs, tubers & corms

As the frosts finish, it's time to plant out your summer-flowering bulbs, corms & tubers.  These wonderful underground structures will produce masses of stunning flowers all through summer and all you have to do is to lift them again once the foliage has died back naturally at the end of summer. 
Lifting the tubers over winter  prevents them being damaged by excess rainfall, frosts or hungry garden wildlife.  Keep them in a clean, dry, frost-free container over winter and you should be seeing the shoots appearing again about now.

Plant herbs

Although there are many hardy herbs such as Mint, Marjoram or Rosemary, it's now time to introduce the less hardy varieties such as Parsley, Basil and Coriander.
Bear in mind that many herbs grow wild in the poor soils of their natural habitats and you'll realise that they require very little attention to produce lots of fragrant, flavoursome ingredients for your kitchen.
 

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Amazing summer baskets

The secret of an amazing basket is how you look after it. 
When first planted, keep it in a sheltered place (ideally a greenhouse if you have one) so the roots have an opportunity to establish in the basket.
Remember that you have vigorously growing plants in a relatively small volume of soil requiring food and water, and that the moisture will be taken up very quickly particularly if it's windy and warm.  It's best to water in the morning or the evening to avoid scorch from direct sunlight and there may be times when you will need to water in both morning and evening.  
If your basket dries out too much you will see the water run right through the basket and in that case you should add a small amount of water several time in succession until the compost has fully rehydrated.

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Awesome annuals

Annual plants may only last for one summer, but they certainly produce that 'WOW' factor during the summer months!

If you've raised your plants from seed, now is the time to harden off these tender plants by gradually introducing them to the cooler outdoor temperatures.  For those who don't raise their annuals from seed, now is the time to find well-established starter plants in the garden centre.
Once the frosts are finished, these wonderful flowering plants can be planted our for an awesome display that'll last several months.

For a more informal look, you could scatter seed directly - varieties such as Californian Poppies, Nasturtium or a prepared mixture designed by the seedsman are all good choices.

Tasty home-grown food

Continue to earth-up your potatoes as the new shoots appear.

Harden off the tender plants such as tomatoes, cucumbers and courgettes but don't plant them outdoors until frosts are finished and the evenings are milder.

Thin out direct-sown veg such as carrots to reduce competition and produce good strong crops.

Remove any strawberry runners so the plant's energy and be directed to producing fruit.

Any questions?

We understand that every garden is different and every gardener has their own preferences for their outdoor living spaces.

At Merryhatton  we have an experienced plant team who are delighted to offer help customers get the best from their plants and garden.