May's To Do's
Winter certainly returned last month and caused damage from both the frosts and the Arctic winds.
Most plants and shrubs will recover and will just need a wee bit of attention trimming of the damaged leaves etc. However, some will need to be replaced, as in most case the frost will have killed the root ball. This, of course, will be a good excuse to make a visit to a Garden Centre.
The big tip for this month, is, DO NOT buy bedding plants unless you have somewhere to keep them frost-free, the beginning of June is the best time to start planting them out.
This will be the month to give your hedges their first trim, especially if it is Privet. Obviously, the first part of April was very cold and will have held some plants back, but they should now be growing well and of course, the weeds will be growing fast too. Keep weeding to stop the weeds from going to seed, otherwise, you will have problems all season.
Now is also the time to start thinking of how the garden will look towards the end of the season and to think of colour for September/ October. Dahlias and Gladioli are the obvious choices and should be planted this month to give lots of colour and interest during that period. There are of course plenty of other choices, especially for pots etc., Eucomis (Pineapple Lillies) Nirenes, Crocosmias, Galtonias and Calla Lillies to name but a few, will all achieve this goal.
Towards the end of the month is the time to start lifting and relocating any bulbs and or to dry them off for replanting later in the year. Don’t cut them down, until at least 6 weeks after the flower has finished. Also, consider making a note of where some new bulbs could be planted to give extra interest next spring.
Finally, the lawn is the biggest plant in your garden, so look after it well and manage it properly, if you mow regularly and clip the edges each time, it will really show off your garden to its best.
Remember also to take some time to sit and enjoy the garden.
- Tagged as: