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Essential Gardening Tasks for May: Top 5 to Focus On

  • Writer: Sarah Kay
    Sarah Kay
  • May 2
  • 1 min read

As the weather warms up and the risk of frost becomes a distant memory, this month is perfect for stepping into your garden and savoring its late spring beauty.


  1. Prune Early Spring flowering shrubs


White flowers with green leaves in a garden setting. The flowers have delicate petals and yellow stamens, creating a serene and natural mood.
Choisya ternata in my E5 garden this month

During this month, early spring flowering shrubs like Forsythia and Choisya should be deadheaded and lightly pruned to maintain their designated space and promote repeat blooming in Choisya.


  1. Tie in climbers


    Purple wisteria flowers hang from green leafy vines, creating a lush, vibrant garden scene with serene, natural beauty.
    Flowering Wisteria in my N16 Into the Woodland garden

    This month, climbers like Wisteria, Clematis, and Honeysuckle will experience significant growth. Use twine to tie them horizontally to the trellis, promoting their spread across the entire support.


  1. Scoop out pond weed and debris from ponds.


    Metal tub pond with lilies and ferns against a brick wall. Lush green foliage surrounds, creating a tranquil garden setting.
    Wildlife pond in my E5 garden

    Scoop out pond weeds, algae and blanket weed from garden ponds using a seive and leaving the debris on the side to allow any pond creature to escape back into the pond.


  1. Dead head early Tulips


    White tulips bloom in a garden by a wooden fence, surrounded by lush greenery and tidy bushes, creating a serene, natural setting.
    Tulipa 'White Prince' putting on a fantastic display in my E11 Naturalistic Planting Design

    Remove the spent flowers from your early Tulips and let the foliage wither naturally, as this will return energy to the bulbs for future blooms.


  1. Water wisely


    Hand watering plants with a metal can in a garden. Purple and white flowers, green leaves, and bright sunlight create a calm mood.
    Water wisely early morning or evening in drought

    With the hottest start to May on record, your plants will be experiencing heat and drought. To minimize evaporation, water them wisely in the early morning or early evening. Providing your plants with a thorough soak less frequently promotes stronger root growth compared to watering them lightly and often.


    I hope you have the chance to enjoy your gardens during this May bank holiday weekend.

 
 
 

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