Welcome May, a month full of vibrancy and natural beauty. As we leave April behind there is a lot to look forward to in the month to come. This is a time where nature is really starting to come alive with lovely colours and sweet fragrances from the flowers that start to appear all around. All your hard work during the colder months is going to be worth it when you see your garden in full bloom. There is a lot to be done in the garden this month; let’s hope for some fine weather for the bank holidays ahead so that we can get on with our gardening!
Lawn Care
A good quality lawn is a staple for all your outdoor summertime activities. Take care of your lawn in May to ensure that is has that lush green colour and neat finish that you desire. By applying a Spring & Summer lawn fertiliser you will give your lawn a good nutrient boost to avoid yellowing grass and to increase the drought tolerance. Early to mid-May is a great time to sow grass seed and to re-seed bare patches in your lawn. Whatever your lawn’s needs are we stock grass seed specifically for shady areas, for fine ornamental lawns, and for hard wearing lawns. If you need topsoil for your lawn, we have a TS6 Premium Blended Topsoil available as a 5mm or 10mm screened product which is suitable for grass seeding and turfing.
It is important to mow your lawn regularly to keep it neat. You can add the grass clippings to your compost bin. Alternatively, leave them on the lawn as it will work as a mulch and will eventually decompose which adds the nutrients back into the soil. If you would rather relax and not mow your lawn in May, why not join the “No Mow May” movement? It is a movement that was originally started to encourage pollinators into your garden and to lock atmospheric carbon below the ground. Basically, you can skip mowing whilst helping the environment.
Bark Mulch
Not only do bark mulches make your beds and borders look exquisite, but it also improves soil health. Bark mulch works as a weed suppressant, provides nutrients for the soil, and helps with soil moisture retention which decreases the need for watering; we also offer barks certified for children’s play areas. Applying a bark mulch in May is ideal as moisture retention is vital for the warmer season ahead. We have many bark mulches available so have a look on our website for all the different options that we stock.
May Planting
With the warmer temperatures allowing a lot of planting, May is certainly an exciting time for gardeners. There is plenty of planting and sowing that can be done now that the last chance of frost has passed, hopefully. Summer bedding plants such as cosmos, dahlias, foxgloves, cornflowers, and sunflowers can now be planted/sown. Geranium should be planted out mid to late May. Provide interest in the shady areas of your garden by incorporating plants like ferns, hosta and brunnera.
If you have a vegetable garden, now is a great time to plant courgettes, cabbages, spinach, lettuce, parsnips, carrots and more. Protect your courgettes by applying netting or fleece over them until they are more established. Sweetcorn can also be planted in May but remember to plant them in a block as they need to crosspollinate. “Earth up” potatoes to ensure that they are not getting exposed to sunlight as it will turn them green and poisonous. To do so, simply cover the stem growth when it has reached about 9 inches with soil, leaving about 4 inches visible. Repeat the same process every few weeks or so.
Happy gardening!
Alicia Paaso – Gardenscape Sales Team/RHS Level 2 Horticulturalist