May in the Garden

Pick your month

May

Autumn’s final hurrah…

There can be no doubting this month that Winter is almost here! Days are shortening, nights are colder and brisk winds encourage us to rug up before heading outside. Even tropics dwellers are feeling the chill in the air, although it’s nothing like that experienced down south!

Gardening in May

Potatoes

Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) are tubers that grow and form at the plant’s roots. Plants also produce flowering shoots...

Peas

Nothing beats home-grown peas for their tenderness and taste. That's because when they’re picked, their sugars start to...

Onions

The basis of so many delicious dishes, onions (Allium cepa) are an essential ingredient in every cook’s store cupboard...

Garlic

Growing garlic ( Allium sativum) at home is now very popular. It's an easy vegetable to grow - just plant a garlic clove...

Blueberries

Eaten fresh, baked in muffins or as the star attraction in jams or desserts, blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) are...

Apple

Apple trees love a garden with cool winters, but if you choose the right variety (with ‘low chill’ requirements), you...

Blackberries

Blackberries sometimes get a bad wrap thanks to the wild, thorny, weedy ones! But growing blackberries in your garden is...

Dragon Fruit

Dragon fruit grows on a climbing cactus that produces stunning white flowers in summer. These flowers develop into pink...

Orchids

Orchids are a great addition to any home, with their exotic, delicate and diverse flowers and their beautiful shapes and...

Allium

Alliums belong to the same family as onions, garlic and leeks, as you can tell from the aroma when you crush the foliage...

Lavender

Lavender is a beautiful, fragrant small shrub perfect for cottage gardens, perennial borders and pollinator patches...

Dahlia

Dahlias produce colourful blooms throughout summer and well into autumn in Australia. Their flowers can be big and...

Bromeliads

Bromeliads ( Bromeliaceae) are a diverse group of plants with a very tropical vibe. With over 3000 different species in...

Bougainvillea

Bougainvilleas put on a showy display of vibrant colour throughout summer. These vigorous vines are drought tolerant and...

Magnolia

Magnolia's magnificent blooms arrive at the end of winter, announcing that spring isn’t far away. On deciduous magnolias...

Bird of Paradise

Bird of Paradise plants are tropical beauties with big leaves and flamboyant, colourful flowers that resemble birds...

Buffalo Grass

A popular stalwart in Australian gardens for good reason, buffalo grass makes for an incredibly resilient lawn. It is...

Kikuyu Grass

Kikuya grass, or Pennisetum Clandestinum, is a vigorous plant often used in Australian lawns and common in public...

African Violet

Cheerful, bright and compact, African violets are the perfect indoor pot plant. They have eye-catching purple, red, pink...

Snake Plants

Snake Plants are the easiest houseplant of all to grow. This undemanding plant will grow in the most challenging of...

Weeping Fig

Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina) are elegant houseplants loved for their glossy leaves that hang gracefully from arching...

An indoor Pilea, also known as a Chinese money plant, in a pot.

Pilea peperomioides/Chinese money plant

With its iconic round leaves and vibrant green colour, the Chinese money plant (Pilea peperomioides) has become a...

What Vegetables to harvest now:

There’s not a lot to harvest from the veggie patch now, apart from the leaves of the “pick and come again” lettuces and other greens like spinach and s ilverbeet. Click on the fruit or vegetable image below to find out more about what to harvest.

What to Vegetables plant now:

Certified virus-free strawberry plants and runners can be planted this month in all areas. Protect young plants from cold with a straw, lucerne or sugarcane mulch that will help keep the soil warm and weed-free.

In temperate areas, a late planting of seedlings of:

Silverbeet
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Chinese cabbage
Kale (including Tuscan kale or cavallo nero)
Leek
Spinach
Spring onion

In warm regions, sow seeds or plant seedlings of:

Beetroot
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrot
Cauliflower
Peas
Silverbeet
Spinach
Soft herbs – parsley, coriander, basil

Veggie patch tips for May:

Keep veggie crops healthy and growing well with applications of liquid fertiliser for vegetables and herbs such as Osmocote Pour+Feed Vegetables, Tomatoes & Herbs or a certified organic fertiliser every two to three weeks.
Water deeply at least once a week if the weather is dry.
Hand pull or hoe out weeds as they appear – they compete for nutrients and moisture and may also harbour pests that could attack your crops.
Use snail and slug traps or baits to protect young seedlings.

Fruit

What fruits to harvest now:

There may still be some crops of late season fruits maturing. These include:

Apples
Pears
Selected oranges
Persimmons
Quinces

What fruit to plant:

Evergreen fruiting plants such as passionfruit vines and citrus may still be planted in warm to tropical areas. It’s still too early for and new bare-root fruit trees. They are best planted in mid to late winter.

Flowers

What to plant in May

Spring flowering bulbs:

Lachenalia
Muscari (grape hyacinth)
Tulip
Watsonia

Winter and spring flowering annual seedlings in warm climates only:

Alyssum
Aquilegia (granny’s bonnet)
Cornflower
Dianthus
Gaillardia
Geum
Gypsophila
Impatiens
Iceland poppy
Polyanthus
Snapdragon
Viola

Garden Tasks

Things to look out for and do during the month:

Keep seedlings growing well with regular applications of Scotts Organic Plant Food Ready to Use.
Check camellia flower buds – if they are too crowded then remove some (“disbud”) to allow blooms to develop fully.
Clean and sharpen your garden tools, especially secateurs, loppers and pruning saws so they are ready for action in winter.
After dahlias and chrysanthemums have finished flowering, cut plants down to encourage new shoots, which can be taken as struck as “green cuttings” in spring.
Rake up fallen leaves and either add them in layers to your compost bin or spread them over garden beds, where they will breakdown to produce humus-rich leaf mould.

Pest Control:

Keep an eye out for aphids and other insect pests, especially on herbs and vegetable and flower seedlings. Use a general garden insecticide like Defender Pyrethrum Insect Spray to control them. Don’t forget to spray the undersides of leaves too.
Watch for the caterpillars of the White Cabbage Butterfly on cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and other brassicas. Pyrethrum will assist or try a cabbage dust.
Slugs and snails can be active over winter – Defender Snail & Slug Pellets in a bait trap will protect your plants and keep your pets safe.

Lawn

Maintenance tips for your Lawn:

Southern Australia receives most of its rainfall over winter, so check how well your lawn drains and take remedial action now. Most lawn grasses will not tolerate their roots being saturated for extended periods, particularly when it’s cold.
To improve drainage, aerate your lawn now even if you did it in March or April. This time, use a coring machine to remove larger plugs of soil. This not only helps oxygenate your lawn but also assists it to drain and dry out after rain.
If your grassed area is small, a stout-pronged garden fork worked back and forth, in rows about 300mm apart, will achieve a similar result.

If your lawn remains very wet after moderate to heavy rain, then you may need to install a drainage system. This can be done with minimum disturbance using a narrow trenching spade or machine and slotted polypiping that then connects to a sump or stormwater drain.
Watch for moss in shady, moist areas of lawn. A solution of iron sulfate (30 grams in 4.5L of water) applied as a spray or with the watering will help control it. Re-apply if necessary.
Broadleaf weeds can be problematic even in Winter. Lawn Builder Bindii, Clover & Broadleaf hose-on, safe to use on ALL lawns, will keep them in check.

In the warmer north:

De-thatch the lawn with a garden rake to remove build-up of dead grass, especially in buffalo, kikuyu and couch lawns.
Remove weeds either by hand or with Lawn Builder Bindii, Clover & Broadleaf hose-on.
Top dress with Scotts Lawn Builder Organic Lawn Soil – Topdress Mix & Underlay.
Water entire lawn area, if permitted, to settle topdress mix.
Fertilise with Lawn Builder All Purpose Slow Release Lawn Fertiliser, Lawn Builder Buffalo, Lawn Builder Extreme Green Granular or one of the Lawn Builder hose-on equivalents.

Indoor Plants

Tips for Indoor Plants:

Plants inside the home assist in purifying the air as well as lending a touch of greenery to your living areas.
Over the cooler months, make sure plants are kept out of draughts and away from heaters and air conditioners that can dry the atmosphere.
Your plants will thrive in temperatures and humidity levels that are most comfortable for you. If your home is heated, place a saucer or bowl of water near your plants but DO NOT stand pots in water!
Occasionally wipe leaves with a damp cloth (no detergents or oils, please!) to remove dust and dirt that can affect photosynthesis.
Keep them growing well with ready to use Osmocote Pour+Feed Indoor Plants – no mixing required.