Jobs for May
General:
Pinch out the growing tips of young pelargoniums and fuchsias to help produce stronger bushy plants.
As tulips in pots fade, dig them up, lay them on a sheet of newspaper and dry them in the shed or garage for replanting in the autumn in the garden. Plant 8 - 9 inches deep to encourage them to flower to next year.
Plant up summer pots with bedding plants, but keep them in the greenhouse or conservatory until the end of the month.
Harden off tender plants and plant out after risk of frost has passed.
Fruit & Veg:
Harvest rhubarb for delicious crumbles and cakes.
Harden off runner beans and courgettes, before planting out at the end of May or in early June.
Plant out leeks and brassicas.
Direct sow carrots, lettuce and spinach.
Place straw around strawberry plants to suppress weeds and prevent the fruit from rotting.
Plant tomatoes In the greenhouse. Wait until the end of the month before planting them outside.
Wildlife:
Plant flowers amongst your vegetables to attract pollinators. Butterflies seem to prefer mauve and purple flowers, overflies prefer yellow and golds. Snapdragons and broad beans won't open up for anything lighter than a substantial bumblebee!
Choose flowering plants that will turn into useful seedheads e.g. Achillea (yarrow), Solidago (golden rod), honesty, Echinops (globe thistle), Angelica and sunflowers.
Leave some loosely dug bare earth in a sunny corner for bees to burrow into and for solitary wasps to collect earth to line their nests.