At Love Plants garden centre in Shrewsbury, as the vibrant season of spring gracefully transitions into the warmer embrace of summer, May presents a pivotal moment for gardeners to complete those final preparations before the full bloom of the season. Let’s delve into your essential gardening jobs for May:
Essential Gardening Jobs in May
With the sun’s rays shining brighter and warmer temperatures gracing our gardens, diligent watering becomes paramount. Whether your plants reside in the ground or containers, ensure they receive adequate hydration, preferably during the cooler hours of early morning or late evening.
As the temperatures rise, greenhouses can quickly become hotspots. Safeguard your plants by ventilating your greenhouse daily to prevent overheating, while also dampening down paths to maintain optimal humidity levels.
Keep a watchful eye for garden pests like slugs and snails, notorious for wreaking havoc overnight. Regular inspections enable early detection and effective pest control measures.
Nurture Your Blooms
Prepare for the changing seasons by planting summer bedding plants towards the month’s end, while keeping garden fleece at hand to shield delicate blooms from potential late frosts, a common occurrence in our unpredictable British weather.
Bid farewell to fading daffodils, allowing them to wither naturally before moving them to the garden and fertilising for next year’s vibrant display.
Trim and prune your May flowering plants to maintain their health and appearance. Encourage new growth by trimming back spreading plants like aubretia and alyssum after flowering and prune overcrowded stems of early-flowering clematis and shrubs.
Vegetable Vigilance
Embrace the warmer soil temperatures by earthing up your potatoes, ensuring protection from late frosts and promoting robust growth. Harvest asparagus spears before they exceed 20cm in length for optimal flavour.
Seize the perfect sowing conditions with seeds to plant in May but beware of opportunistic weeds that threaten to overshadow your seedlings. Erect runner bean poles and sow beans in pots, primed for planting in June.
Fruitful Care
Guard your strawberries against slugs by mulching with straw, simultaneously protecting both fruit and soil. Set up pheromone traps to deter moths from apples and plums, and promptly remove sawfly caterpillars from gooseberry plants.
Shield soft fruit and cherry plants from hungry birds by carefully netting them, ensuring a bountiful harvest free from bird interference. Keep young trees well-watered to support healthy growth throughout the summer.
At Love Plants in Shrewsbury, we’re here to gear you up for your gardening tasks for May. Dive into our assortment of plants online or drop by our Plant Centre to uncover a wealth of choices for your spring garden. Let’s work together to ensure May is a flourishing month!
