|
 |
|
|
Start cutting lawns more regularly.
|
|
|
Hedges can be trimmed, check for birds nests first. |
|
|
It is very important to
keep weeds down this month.
|
|
|
Mulch borders etc after a
good downpour of rain (or water manually).
|
|
|
Staking of all trees &
shrubs should be checked.
|
|
|
Check all
wood & fence
panels for wear & protect with paint or preservative. |
|
|
Check your
water lilies
& divide if necessary. |
|
|
Keep an eye on the night weather
forecast and cover anything tender with fleece if
temperature drops below 4 degrees. |
|
|
Harden off any tender plants and
veg outside during the day and don't forget to bring
them in at night. Depending o the weather this could
take a week or two. |
|
|
Unravel your garden hose
& clean. Service your sprinklers. |
|
|
Link: Composting |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Continue with successive
sowings of lettuce, French beans, carrots, turnips
etc. |
|
|
Sow
beans. |
|
|
Plant Brussels
sprouts. |
|
|
If early potatoes
are through protect them by earthing up the soil around the crowns.
|
|
|
Thin lettuce, onions
& turnips. |
|
|
At the end of the month
plant out tomatoes, marrows, cucumbers, spring cabbage, celery
& cauliflower. |
|
|
Pinch
out the tips of broad beans.
|
|
|
Finish planting out shallots
and onion
sets.
|
|
|
Carrots - Cover carrots
with fleece to protect against carrot root fly,
alternatively carrot root fly resistant carrots are now
available.
|
|
|
Stake peas & beans. |
|
|
Now is a good time to buy and
plant out asparagus. |
|
|
Links: Vegetables
- Potatoes
- Mushrooms - Vegetable
Seeds |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Net your fruit to protect against birds. Make sure your
netting is securely fastened and taught, this prevents
any birds and other animals getting entangled. |
|
|
If necessary fruit should
be watered and as the fruit is swelling a light feed can be given. |
|
|
Watch for gooseberry
sawfly.
|
|
|
Hang pheromone
traps in fruit
trees to catch codling or plum moths.
|
|
|
Towards the end of the
month thin vines
& net against birds.
|
|
|
Put straw down for strawberries. |
|
|
Links: Fruit
- Apples
- Strawberries |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Harden off bedding
plants. |
|
|
Sow hardy annuals for the
autumn.
|
|
|
Plant out sweat peas.
|
|
|
Thin out early seedlings.
|
|
|
Dead head spring flowers. |
|
|
Divide & replant
polyanthus, aubrietia
& Christmas roses.
|
|
|
Plant lilies, stocks,
asters & gladioli outside & start bedding out (if danger of frost
has passed).
|
|
|
Feed all of your spring flowering
bulbs, roses, hedging and border plants. |
|
|
Stake & tie tall
herbaceous plants. |
|
|
Links:
Bedding
Plants & Annuals - Plants
- Flowers
that attract wildlife - Alpines |
|
|
Hanging
Baskets - Roses
- Climbing
Plants - Fuchsias |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Check roses
for pests & disease & spray straight away if necessary. |
|
|
Mulch newly planted shrubs. |
|
|
Prune laurels
& spring flowering shrubs such as lilacs, forsythia & flowering
currant. |
|
|
Links:
Conifers
- Japanese
Maples - Trees
- Magnolias
- Rhododendrons
- Plants |
|
|
Palm
Trees - Hedging
- Topiary |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Lower blades on mower and cut
frequently in different directions. |
|
|
Apply
lawn
feed & weed. |
|
|
If dry, water new lawns frequently. |
|
|
New turf
can be laid, but do not let it dry out in hot spells. |
|
|
Keep off lawn if its soggy. |
|
|
Links:
Lawns
- Lawn
Mowers |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Remove side shoots of tomatoes. |
|
|
Keep greenhouse well ventilated
& check cold frames
& ventilate.
Close ventilation at night. |
|
|
Pot on tomatoes, cucumbers
and chillies into growing bags or larger pots. |
|
|
Take geranium
cuttings for autumn flowering. |
|
|
Repot plants that are pot bound or
top heavy. |
|
|
Links:
Greenhouses
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Increase watering &
feed growing plants. |
|
|
Once risk of frost is over
put out indoor
azaleas
& lilium. |
|
|
Gently clean leaves from
dust with a new clean cloth & water. |
|
|
Links:
House
Plants - Orchids |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Links:
Water
Gardening - Water
Features - Aquatic
Plants |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Look
out for... |
|
|
|
|
Pond skaters |
| Description: Pond skaters are about 8-10mm long and have long slender legs that enable them to stand on the surface of ponds, lakes, canals and slow-moving rivers. They hop across the water surface in search of other drowned insects on which they feed. |
|
|
|
Where to find them: On the surface of ponds from spring to early autumn. |
|
|
Links:
Wildlife
- Birds - Frogs,
Toads & Newts - Hedgehogs |
|
|
Flowers
that attract wildlife |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
6th
– 8th May - Norfolk Spring Garden Show |
|
12th -
15th May - Malvern
Spring Gardening Show |
|
13th -
15th May - Essex
Garden Show |
|
24th
- 28th May - RHS Chelsea Flower Show |
| 'Shows
& Events' Page. |
|
|
|
|
|
Links:
Shows &
Events Calendar - Chelsea
Flower Show - Hampton
Court Flower Show |
|
|
Tatton
Park Flower Show |
|
|
|
|
