itemsMay 2026
May is a very exciting month because of all the new flowers opening every time you step outdoors. Plus the best of the year is to come! Here are some things to do in the garden this month:-
Garden:
Hoe borders.
Move hanging baskets and containers outside.
Stake tall plants to prevent wind damage, including sweet peas, delphiniums, and lupins.
Split irises after flowering.
Move spring bulbs to make way for summer bedding.
Plant Busy Lizzies, marigolds, pansies, etc.
Feed flowers weekly to encourage flower growth and overall health.
Deadhead fading flowers to encourage a second display.
Trim back trailing plants after their first flowering to encourage strong and healthy growth.
Ensure beds and borders are well-watered during dry weather.
Sow winter bedding plants, including ornamental cabbages, kale, and winter pansies.
Pinch out leading shoots on chrysanthemums if you want bushy plants, or remove a few buds for fuller blooms.
Feed plants in containers.
Vegetable Plot:
Hoe borders.
Pinch side-shoots on tomatoes.
Harvest salads and early potatoes.
Sow seeds every fortnight for a continuous supply of salads and vegetables.
Plant out vegetable seedlings if started in pots or seed trays.
Place tomato plants outside.
Fruit Garden:
Spray apple trees fortnightly if suffering from mildew or scab.
Water fruit bushes and trees.
Thin out tree branches after they drop excess fruit.
Tie fruit bushes to canes if necessary.
Check netting for any damage caused by birds or other pests.
Feed rhubarb crowns once finished.
Trees & Shrubs:
Prune spring flowering shrubs.
Glasshouse:
Shade greenhouses to keep them cool and prevent plant scorching.
Check for pests, including red spider mite, whitefly, and aphids.
Lawncare:
Mow lawns weekly.
Edge lawns with a half-moon edging iron to keep them neat.
If not done in May, apply a high-nitrogen lawn fertilizer.
Keep new lawns well-watered.
Pest Control:
Check roses for insects and disease, treat them with a systemic fungicide or insecticide if necessary.
Inspect lilies and containerized pots for unwanted pests.
Stay on top of slugs and snails – use pellets or your preferred method of removal.
Wash off caterpillar eggs from the underside of leafy vegetables.
Control the spread of bindweed by using a glyphosate-based weed killer.
Other Jobs this Month:
Shade greenhouses to keep them cool and prevent plant scorching.
Check for pests, including red spider mite, whitefly, and aphids.
Happy Gardening !!!
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