May Top Tips
Top gardening tips by our expert Maurice Rust
- If April was a busy month, then May will be a very busy month in the garden.
- Many of the bulbs will have finished flowering by now and begin to look untidy, do not be in a hurry to cut back the foliage although it is wise to pinch off the dead flowers to prevent seed forming.
- The dying stems and foliage help build up the bulbs for next year it is most important that the foliage be left for about six weeks after flowering to die down naturally.
- Top dress with a handful of bone meal this will also help the bulb to swell and become a storehouse for nutrients for the next flowering season.
- Many of the late spring flowering shrubs will be in full flower now, Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Magnolias, Camellias, Choisya, Daphne and many more.
- If you are lucky, enough to have a carpet of primroses and bluebells underneath these shrubs take time out to enjoy their beauty for they flower for such a short time.
- Watch out for aphids and early signs of mildew on roses with the days getting warmer they can soon become a problem so begin a regular spray programme, alternate the chemical used, do not use the same chemical two weeks running.
- We are now offering a full range of bedding plants, container and basket plants. We will have “protect from frost signs” above our plants until the last week of May on our display tables, if you are tempted to plant tender plants out early then you must protect on cold frosty nights with fleece or some other method of covering. Bedding plants such as Asters, Antirrhinums, Carnations, Cineraria maritime, Geraniums, Lobelia, Petunia and Stocks are quite hardy.
- Bedding plants such as Ageratum, Begonia, Impatiens, French Marigolds, Fuchsia’s and Nemesia are far less hardy; these plants will need tender care until the last week of May when planting out.
- Dahlias can also be planted out at the end of the month.
- When planting young bedding plants give the soil a generous top dressing of growmore fertilizer, water in well after planting and remember to top dress with slug pellets as tender young plants make a tasty meal.
LAWNS
- Continue mowing, increase the frequency as necessary and lower the height of the cut closer to the Summer level.
- If we have a warm May once a week mowing will be required.
- In most seasons, this is the best month for weed killing with either a selective weed killer or moss killer.
- Remember the need for dry grass, moist soil and a fine still day when using lawn weed killers – drift from lawn weed killer or moss killer can very quickly scorch tender young bedding plants or shrubs planted around the edge of the lawn.
- If annual meadow grass or clover is present, brush or rake the patches before mowing.
- The soil is usually moist in May but a prolonged dry spell can occur. If this happens, water before obvious signs of stress appears.
HERBACEOUS BORDER
- Herbaceous plants will be growing very fast so now is the time to play special attention to staking and tying in the new growth.
- Various types of herbaceous supports are available, from metal or plastic hoops, metal frames on legs that are raised as the plants grow. An inexpensive way of supporting herbaceous is to buy rigid plastic netting with 10cm squares, generally sold in green or brown it can be cut to your own size and supported by bamboo canes.
- Some herbaceous flowers spikes of plants such as Lupins and Delphiniums are best staked individually to give extra support.
- A good tip this month is to thin out some of the overcrowded shoots of delphiniums this will encourage the plant to put its energy into flowering spikes.
- Growers of sweetpeas will be kept busy from now on removing the side shoots and tying the main stems to supports. If too many side shoots are left, you will get small sweetpea flowers.
- Now is the time to plant outdoor flowering chrysanthemums, pinch the leading growing shoot once the plant is about 15cm high this will encourage side shoots to develop.
- The tubers of dahlia can be planted now, if you have dahlia plants do remember to protect on frosty evenings.
- Do not forget the slugs they will also be growing after feeding on your herbaceous plants, a top dressing of slug pellets should help keep them under control.
FRUIT GARDEN
- At this time of year keep a careful watch for signs of aphid, caterpillars and mildrew, these pest & diseases are the main problems this month, a regular spray programme each week should keep things under control
- Liquid Derris is a good chemical that can be used on edible crops and is available to buy in the garden shop.
- If you have a large strawberry bed, clean straw can now be placed around the plants to protect the fruit. Strawberry mats are also available. A less expensive way to protect the fruit is to use black plastic.
- As the weeks go by it is also advisable to net your strawberries to protect the young fruit from the birds.
- Any wall trained fruit trees may need watering from now on as they tend to dry out very quickly at this time of year, also check any supporting ties or wires for repairs as the branches and young fruit are now getting heavier.
- At the end of the month raspberries will be putting on an abundance of growth, these can be thinned with a hoe so that the remaining new canes required for next year will grow stronger and better.
VEGETABLE GARDEN
- Our Garden Centres have a good supply of vegetable seedlings in each week of
- Runner Beans, Tomato Plants, Marrows Courgettes, Cucumbers and Melons will need frost protection until the end of the month when cold nights are forecast.
- All young vegetable plants will benefit from regular feeding with liquid tomato fertilizer.
- Carrots and Beetroot seedlings will need thinning where necessary, remember to sow seeds in smaller amounts for a succession of young vegetables later on.
- Get all main crop potato planted now, regular earthing up between the rows will protect any young shoots from frost damage.
- Remember to keep your vegetables weed free, aphids and caterpillars love weeds as well as your plants, regular hoeing will also help keep the moisture in the soil.
HOUSEPLANTS
- A wide range of houseplants are now just waiting for you to buy including colourful Hydrangeas, Orchids and many foliage plants.
- Our staff are always available to help with questions on pest and disease problems, which you may have.
THE POND GARDEN
- Fish are now very active so regular daily feeding is essential
- A wide range of aquatic plants and water lilies are available to enhance your pond.
- If you have established plants that have outgrown their containers talk to our aquatic staff as some plants can still be split and repotted using aquatic compost.
- Floating plants are also available but care must be given with frost protection, as they are very sensitive to cold nights during May.
- Filters should be kept running continuously during the summer months.
- Blanket weed will now grow rapidly with the warmer weather so Barley Straw treatments left in the pond are essential.
- Our Aquatic Centres have a full range of pre-shaped ponds, liners, pre-formed water falls and fountains, take a look at our stock of garden lighting.
- Visit out Landscape Materials area where you will find a wide range of rocks and coloured gravels available, we have everything you will need to give your garden a new look for those long summer evenings ahead.
TREES & SHRUBS
- May is a glorious month in the garden with so many trees and shrubs that have laid dormant over the winter and are now bursting into life.
- Many of the Cherries and Malus will be at their peak of flowering during this month. Our Planterias are full of shrubs for you to buy and many in flower such as Azaleas, Camellia, Ceanothus, Chaenomeles, Choisya, Cornus
- Many climbers are now coming into flower Clematis
- When planting any new tree or shrub it is essential to plant with some form of planting medium such as peat or multi-purpose potting compost and a little fertilizer. Dig the hole slightly larger than the plant container fork the bottom of the hole and add your fertilizer and compost then place the plant in the ground and infilling with more compost and garden soil. Then water well and continue to water regularly through out the coming summer.
MAY TOP TIP
- Take time out from your garden to watch the Televised recordings of the show, you may see some new ideas for your garden and then come to Frosts Garden Centre to see how you can put those new ideas into your garden, our staff are always available to help.
