Summer is on route, our plants and lawns are starting to thrive under the warmer weather and sunnier days! Where to start!?
Protect tender plants from any late frost that might appear in May. Keep some fleece handy to cover them overnight.
Make sure you ‘earth up’ your potatoes, and cover over any emerging shoots as they appear. This will ensure good growth and no potatoes are exposed to light which can turn them green and make them poisonous.
By the end of the month you should be able to safely plant out your summer bedding in borders and containers in your garden.
Harden off tender plants that have been started off indoors, by placing them outside in the daytime for a week to 10 days to acclimatise. Make sure to bring them in at night as the temperature cools down.
It’s time to prune spring flowering shrubs such as forsythia, make sure you have clean, sharp secateurs – we’ve got a large selection in different sizes, view here.
As plants start to take off in the warmer weather, give them the best possible chance of healthy growth by keeping on top of weeds. Weed will compete with your plants for the valuable nutrients in the soil.
Make sure to feed your grass with nitrogen rich feed to encourage bushier growth throughout the summer months. Now is the time to get into a solid mowing routine as the grass growth starts to take off. We have a good range of lawncare products in store.
Start successional sowing of vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, kale, beetroot, carrots, salad leaves and lettuce to make sure you have a steady crop of fresh garden vegetables to see you through until Autumn.
Ramp up your watering schedule as the weather warms, paying particular attention to your containers and pots.
Open the vents and windows of your greenhouse during warmer days so your plants inside don’t get scorched.
Support climbing plants such as climbing roses, sweet peas, clematis, wisteria to help them in their growth and train them as they grow.
Get your tomatoes ready for planting outdoors, either in large pots or gro-bags. Tie the main stem to a cane for support.