Gardening Tips

May is here, and with it the ideal opportunity to spend some quality time gardening

With hopefully some warmer days coming it’ll be great to get outdoors. Our planting machine is in full swing with summer bedding plants and perennials; meaning we have a wide selection to brighten up your garden, with our team happy to offer advice and inspiration.

Our petunias, begonias, geraniums and marigolds can be placed straight into a border, container or hanging basket. Why not plant your own container, we’ve a vast range in all shapes, sizes and materials, meaning you’ll find the perfect ones for your garden, along with compost and all the gardening tools and equipment.

Jobs for the month

• After the last signs of frost is the perfect time to plant your summer bedding plants. If you are planting in a container, use a good quality peat-free multipurpose compost. Fill it with bright, colourful plants for maximum impact, and add a trailing plant to spill over the side. Gently firm in the plants and water well, remember to deadhead the plants regularly to encourage new flowers.

• Continue to deadhead any spring bulbs, nipping off the heads and seedpods to allow the energy to divert back into the bulb. Carefully divide clumps of bulbs as the foliage dies back. Placing them in smaller groups for next spring or storing somewhere dry to be replanted in autumn. Remove faded blooms on primroses, primula, and other spring flowering plants for new growth.
   
• Add some perennials, such as echinacea, rudbeckia, salvia and scabious, which will bloom through to autumn and bring seasonal hues to your garden for years to come. Perennials like plenty of sun but will grow in light shade. Remember to keep them well watered, and feed and deadhead regularly. Hostas are an easy to grow perennial which are often planted for their colourful foliage. There are lots of varieties, and they are good for shady areas.
   
• Now’s the time to sow some flower seeds for summer. Cosmos, Nasturtiums and Poppies will give colour for months. Everyone loves a Sunflower, and it’s an excellent way to get children started in gardening. We’ve a full range of children’s tools, seeds and gardening sets in store.
   
• It’s not too late to sow vegetables such as lettuce, beetroot, carrots, spinach and spring onions. Start them indoors to plant out later in the month, or sow herbs on a sunny windowsill to add to your summer salads. We have easy ‘grow your own’ kits, packets of seeds or strips of vegetables ready to plant.
   
• Keep weeding – regular hoeing will save you time later in the season. On a dry, warm day the weeds are easier to remove. Use a brush or weeding tool to remove weeds from the patio and paths.

Love your lawn

Mow the lawn once a fortnight or once a week depending on the length, making sure you keep the grass at least 1.25cm (½ inch) long, and not mowing too close. Improve the health of your grass by feeding with a good quality lawn fertiliser. Apply before rain to save having to water it in.

Or why not have a month off and take part in No Mow May. Leaving your lawn uncut for the month will provide support to pollinators and attract bees, butterflies and other wildlife.

Indoor Gardening

Give your houseplants a spring clean, use a damp cloth to clean leaves, or a soft brush on cacti and succulents. As well as improving their appearance, it helps the light to reach the surface of the plant, encouraging growth. In warmer weather give your houseplants a regular mist.

We have a host of fabulous house plants on offer – from palms to ferns, cacti to succulents, which will flourish indoors and add a luxurious feel to your home.

It’s not too late to sow vegetables such as lettuce, beetroot, carrots, spinach and spring onions. Start them indoors and wait until later in the month, when there is no chance of frost before putting them outdoors. You can also sow herbs on a sunny windowsill, or in containers outdoors, to add to your summer salads. Keep them well watered for the first few weeks and if it gets cold, protect them with fleece.

Wildlife

There is still time to put up a nesting box for birds that nest in late spring. Birds need a regular supply of water to drink, so choose a shallow container no more than 5cm (2inch) and remember to top up regularly and keep it clean. When putting out food, make sure that items are small to avoid choking fledglings. You could also add a bird bath, check out our selection and treat your garden friends.

Why not plant a container for wildlife. Fill it with plants for pollinators and add some places for insects to shelter. Take a look at our bug houses in store

If you’re new to gardening, or just need some advice, please chat to one of our nursery team who’ll be glad to help you. Happy Gardening!