MAY IN THE GARDEN – with NICKY MARSHALL
I love May, it’s my favourite month as everything in the countryside is coming to life. The birds are nesting, the hedgerows are greening up and the trees are starting to blossom.
We have put a Swift box up and although it is unlikely we will get residents this year it is there for the future.
The gardens are filling up nicely and the lawns are greening up after their Spring feed, which they really needed after the intense heat of last summer. We have been sowing lawn seed and have been watering, so the rain over the last few days has been welcome. It doesn’t seem to matter how much one waters with a hose, nothing is better than real rain!
We have problems with Box blight in a couple of our gardens so have started a monthly spraying regime which will continue throughout the growing season. There is a product called Buxus Tonic which works extremely well.
It has been suggested that I start an “Ask Nicky A Gardening Question” post so people can pick my brains!! Not sure about that, but happy to give it a go. So please feel free to ask.
10 Tips for May
Prune Clematis Montana after flowering
Start hardening off tender plants ready for planning out towards the end of the month
Insert plant supports
Hard prune Aubreita after flowering to prevent it from becoming bare and leggy
Water newly planted shrubs and trees, try to do this either early morning or in the evening
Prune out dead/damaged growth from tender shrubs and feed with a general purpose fertilizer.
Mulch Roses
Earth up Potatoes
Start successional sowings of herbs and salad plants
Prepare containers for summer planting. Give them a thorough clean to remove pests and diseases