Gardening in May

May can be a mixed bag as far as the weather goes, with warm sunny days followed by rainy days and even the occasional late frost. It’s a busy month in the garden, with everything starting to grow, and it’s also a great chance to get lawns in shape for summer. Keep an eye on the weather forecast and be prepared to protect young plants with fleece or cloches if the temperature drops suddenly.

Things to do this month

Check plants regularly to see if they need watering. If they do, give them a thorough soaking.

Apply shade paint to greenhouse windows or fix blinds to provide shade for the summer.

Open greenhouse vents on warm days.

Control slugs and snails by putting down beer traps, using copper tape around pots or spreading environmentally-friendly pellets.

Clear weed out of ponds and leave it lying at the side of the pond for a day before disposing of it, to allow any wildlife living in it to escape.

Feed wild birds daily with suitable bird food. They have young that need a lot of feeding.

Keep secateurs and hoe blades sharp, so they cut well. Always have a tool sharpener handy.

As the weather warms up, stock ponds with new plants and fish.

Put in supports for tall perennials like phlox, delphiniums and asters.

Feed the lawn with a high-nitrogen fertilizer to encourage strong, healthy growth.

Sow lawn seed to repair bare patches and water regularly until the new grass is established.

Dig up dandelions and other lawn weeds by hand or apply a selective lawn weedkiller to tackle heavy infestations.

Mow the lawn regularly (at least once a week), lowering the mower blades to their summer level.

Give your garden an instant facelift by using edging shears to trim the lawn neatly at the edges of borders.

Control plant pests before they get out of hand and become a problem.

Keep on top of weeds as they appear, and deal with them quickly - either by hoeing or spraying with a suitable weedkiller.

Spray perennial weeds with a weedkiller containing glyphosate or completely dig out the roots.

Mulch borders with bark to help retain essential soil moisture and keep down weeds.