May is definitely the most dynamic month of the year as your garden springs into life; your job is to make the most of it!
Clean And Clear
Make sure all dead material from the winter, such as leaves, dead stems etc. are removed to prevent pests and diseases affecting the plant and to allow space and air for emerging growth. If you haven’t done so yet, thoroughly clean pond pumps and filters to ensure a good flow of water helps to aerate your water feature, encourage plant growth and minimise algae build-up as the sun starts to warm the water. Be careful not to disturb any fledglings in hedges and frog spawn in ponds.
Check, repair or replace fences before access to them is blocked by growing plants. Make sure trellises and wire supports are ready for climbers.
Water Well!
Avoid overhead watering and just spraying leaves, where possible. It can spread diseases and is far less efficient than targeting water at the base of plants. Well planned irrigation systems or, in smaller gardens, watering cans are best to direct water to the root system as it goes into overdrive.
Mulch And Feed
Good quality mulching around your plants (but not piled against the stems) will hold back the weeds, retain moisture and feed the plants as they grow. If using your own garden compost, make sure it is properly broken down and check carefully for pests. Now’s the time to give the lawn its first feed as you start mowing regularly – but beware, don’t cut your grass too short. Little and often is always best.
Strong Growth
This, above all months, is the month of growth. Some plants will flower and peak this month. Almost all will be growing strongly as the month progresses. So watch the growth and make room for it. Growing plants are hungry plants so will need to be fed to perform well.
For the green gardener, feeding with chemical supplements is a tricky subject. But consider this as: as I write at the end of April, a pair of Great Tits are busily ferrying food into a Viburnum hedge behind a mixed border. If I feed the Cornus and Acers in that bed, the additional foliage will support aphids through the spring and caterpillars later on. The Great Tits will make sure neither cause any problems and our local pair of Sparrowhawks may well give me a wink later…
If you’ve got any questions about your garden, please feel free to contact us at: info@greenart.co.uk.
