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By the time May comes around, most of the UK has seen the last of the frosts, but don’t get caught out with a surprise drop in temperature! I keep an eye on the weather for frosts into the second week of May just in case and by this point, I am beginning to plant out all the young plants desperate to get out of the greenhouse. Most will go through the process of hardening off but also, I don’t always have time, so some will be planted out and I keep my fingers crossed. While there is a great deal of potting up, tying in and weeding to do, there are also harvests coming home with me from the allotment and it’s just the most lovely time of the year. There can often be a gap in harvests between Feb and April, so coming home with some cut flowers and crops is truly fulfilling and only the start of what’s to come.
After the glorious display of spring bulbs, they can look a little messy as the flowers turn to seed and foliage begins to drop. Snip off the flower heads but leave the foliage to die back naturally. This way the energy will go back to the bulb for flowering next year, so don’t be too quick to remove it all. Once all of the foliage has died back or gone brown, it can all be removed. For more flowers next year and to keep them healthy, overcrowded clumps can be divided and replanted.
If you have either rambling or climbing Roses, make sure they are tied in well now so they don’t get unruly over the coming months. Doing this not only helps to keep them tidy but will also help to support them as they grow and to ensure strong winds won’t harm them. Try tying them so the stems are horizontal as this can also help with better flowering.
There aren’t many months of the year when you won’t need to remove weeds from your cultivated beds. I leave any not being a nuisance and focus on the areas I am growing in. Overall this has given the allotment so much more biodiversity. The nettles are full of Ladybirds (plus they make a great soup, pesto and plant feed), and the Cleavers are no problem at all along with giving me a refreshing Cleavers water while I am gardening on the plot. For those that don’t want to compete with other plants, simply hoe, hand weed or gently dig up the whole root of more tenacious weeds.
Hibiscus is becoming ever more popular and in fact I noticed how very popular it is in Ipswich, Suffolk! I have never seen so many Hibiscus scattered across a town like it is there. They will need to be pruned back by about a third ensuring you leave two to three nodes for new growth. At the same time, remove all dead, damaged or diseased growth and branches that cross over allowing good airflow and a nice shape. They must be pruned back in late spring, before flowering.
If you haven’t already, give your Lavender a light trim. French and English varieties can be pruned so they flower better and don’t get too leggy as they age. It will improve their appearance overall.
Spring bulbs can generally be cleared up now. If the foliage is still green, leave that until it fully dies back but do remove the stem if you’d like to. It’s best to leave the foliage for as long as possible so the energy is put back into the bulb for flowering next year but at this time in the spring, the foliage is usually brown and ready to be removed.
Choisya should be pruned after flowering, ideally as soon as it has finished. Also known as Mexican Orange Blossom, I love the scented flowers and how very easy it is to grow. Remove about 25cm from the stems that have flowered which will encourage the plant to flower again in late summer/early autumn. If there are any damaged stems, remove these as well.
As we are well on our way through spring, this month really is the very latest chance to plant any bare root plants and rootball hedging. Ideally, they would be planted by now but if you do have any or grab a bargain from the last of this year’s stock, get them planted as soon as you possibly can and water well.
It was only just recently someone was asking me what they could grow up their fence. My reply was to take the fence down and grow a native hedge! It’s the perfect way to help wildlife and grow an abundant garden. I do understand that’s not always possible, but if you can grow a native hedge some lovely options include Hawthorn, Field Maple, Holly and Blackthorn which you can find HERE.
If you would prefer to keep your fence, there are many plants which can grow with support up and along a fence which will provide food and shelter for wildlife and keep your garden looking pretty. Depending on your aspect climbers such as Clematis, Roses and Star Jasmine are favourites of mine (especially Clematis and Roses planted together so they intermingle), or plant a hedge in front of the fence with hedging plants such as Thuja, Laurel or Privet.
The saying goes: ‘The best time to plant a tree was yesterday’ and with that, there is a great deal of advice about when the best time of year is to plant a tree, mostly from autumn to spring. This is true in that planting out in the heat of the summer can cause the tree stress especially if you are unable to water it very frequently. However, if you know planting a tree when the weather is warmer could mean it takes longer to establish or that you might need to be watering it every day, then I say plant that tree! Thankfully, May is a lovely month for tree planting and still gives enough time for the roots to begin establishing before it gets too hot. One of the most important things about tree planting is just the same as with any plant. Choose the right tree for the right place.
Keep trees away from houses and other structures to avoid later problems and always consider the mature height and spread. Arbutus unedo is a lovely tree for a smaller garden and is called the Strawberry Tree because the fruits do look like strawberries, however, they aren’t anywhere near as tasty but the birds will enjoy them. Other garden trees you could consider are Magnolia, Acer and Cornus.
There are many trees that can grow well in containers for smaller spaces on a patio or balcony. Including Acer and even a stunning flowering Cherry. Use good quality peat-free compost and feed regularly from spring to summer with an organic feed.
It’s no mow May! If you are taking part, put the mower away and watch the grass grow. No mow May is a campaign for gardeners to learn the importance of letting grass grow longer. Beneficial for the garden and wider environment, a longer lawn can help encourage biodiversity in the garden, promote healthy lawns and save some time and energy mowing. However, the key to No Mow May is to keep it going! You might not want to have a long lawn all summer but leaving some areas to grow long or by simply mowing a path through the longer grass will help biodiversity in the garden all year around. Plus you never know what might grow from Oxeye Daisies and even Orchids, what you see might surprise you. Not only that but you’ll be saving your own energy and that of using a mower.
If you are growing Lilies, you may well spot the Red Lily Beetle. It is distinguishable from a Ladybird as it is much brighter red, doesn’t have spots and is a different shape. They tend to hang out underneath the foliage and will soon drop into the soil if they see you coming. For such a brightly coloured insect, they do well in disguising themselves. If you do have these munching on your Lilies, you will know because the foliage will look messy and have many holes, under the foliage you may spot the dung and overall the Lilies are likely to be ruined. Most people remove them by hand. I have decided since I get them every year, to simply not grow Lilies anymore!
As with all garden pests, the best way to deal with them is to create a biodiverse environment so when I see aphids, I keep a close eye out to see where the Ladybirds are. Inevitably they do come along and can eat up to 60 aphids a day! So the more Ladybirds, the better. Piles of wood, long grass and wildflowers will help to attract them so they can feast on the bugs you don’t want all over your plants. Plus, never use chemicals in the garden. There are many other beneficial insects to attract including the Hoverfly and Lacewings which will also help.
These little flies have always been around on my allotment but they do only fly up to about 50cm and can be limited by covering with a mesh. However, carrot root flies really want your carrots so the mesh would have to totally cover the carrots with no gaps at all. Try growing carrots in raised beds which might help and limit thinning out seedlings as well because as soon as they sniff carrots, they will be coming for them! They are tiny and lay eggs in the soil from late May onwards, and the larvae go on to many roots and generally the bottom of the carrots. You will see brown tunnels and perhaps even the tiny maggots too.
May is time to plant any summer bedding plants you have, as long as all frosts have passed where you live. Fill hanging baskets, containers and space in your garden with your favourite bedding plants, giving them time to grow and flower by summer.
Alternatively, to bedding, or alongside if you have space, sow some wildflower seeds. Simply clear a space of weeds, grass and other debris and rake the soil. Then sow your wildflower seed mix, raking gently into the soil and then water. Not just beneficial for various insects and garden wildlife but some of the prettiest plants will grow. There are various seed mixes available containing all kinds of wildflowers from poppies to forget-me-nots, red campion to oxeye daisies. It’s fun watching a wildflower area come to life and this can also be done in a pot if you have a smaller garden.
There is still time to get some summer flowering bulbs planted from Gladiolus, Lily and Crocosmia to Liatris Calla Lily and Polianthes which are all lovely summer flowering bulbs. They will soon shoot up and give you some mid to late-summer flowers.
One of my favourite flowering annuals to grow is the fragrant Sweet Pea and I really do grow them – many of them! I am completely hooked and I love sowing, nurturing and watching them climb up the bamboo canes until they flower when I cut them to take home or gift to friends and family. As I grow so many, I do have to keep on top of them most days so they don’t go to seed too quickly but when they do, I let the seed pods dry out and save the seed for the following year. I have grown a huge selection over the years from ‘Orange Prince’ to ‘Restormel’ and ‘Timeless’. May is the time to get these planted out with a trellis, wigwam or other support.
If you haven’t grown Microgreens before, now is the time to get started. They are simply the easiest and quickest way to get crops with wonderful flavours and plenty of nutrition.   The best part is they really don’t need anything special to grow just something to grow in (such as a recycled food container, pot or seed tray) and some compost. Scatter seeds quite thickly on the surface of the compost and cover with a very light layer of compost on top. Water frequently but don’t overwater and place them in a light position. The aim isn’t to get these to grow to maturity, it’s to get them to about 10cm high maximum. At this point they are harvested by cutting close to the base and they can be used in recipes for added flavour and nutrition. Some will regrow again another one or two times. Microgreens to try include sprouts broccoli, lettuce, spinach, coriander, basil, fenugreek and many more.
Open greenhouse doors on warm days but don’t forget to close it again before nighttime. It’s really important that plants inside get good airflow or they may get disease, scorched or struggle due to being too hot and dry.
Happy May!
