Gardens: the May checklist

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/may/03/garden-jobs-for-may-dan-pearson

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Farewell to frost

Spring will give way to summer in the last week of the month or thereabouts. With warmer temperatures at night, it is safe to put tender tomatoes and summer bedding outside, but not before acclimatising them. A jolt from the optimum indoor growing conditions to the wet, wind and cold that May can still throw at us will see plants go into shock.

Acclimatisation takes a week or 10 days. Open the greenhouse doors progressively wider, first in the day and then, as weather warms, at night. If you have been growing plants on windowsills, keep tender subjects close to the house. Houseplants that like a spell outside are best kept in until the end of the month and given the same transition.

Getting fleeced

A layer of horticultural fleece works wonders for the first week or so when tender plants and bedding have to go directly into containers or the ground. Fleece will also keep carrot root fly at bay and flea beetle from attacking young rocket or cut-and-come-again mustards. These should be up by now if you sowed them last month and not far off harvesting.

Sowing in stages

Pace yourself by sowing half rows of salad at fortnightly intervals. Wait until the end of the month to sow courgettes and French and runner beans directly. Plant out pot-grown courgettes and sweetcorn once the weather is on our side.

When to water

April saw us missing out on the rain necessary for spring growth. If it’s still dry, water seedlings and new plantings, but resist elsewhere to encourage roots to travel down. Earth up potatoes for the second time so they’re easier to dig. Let the foliage go after that. Potatoes make a wonderful crop for clearing new ground.

Chop and stake

The week of the Chelsea Flower Show is a timely moment for reducing late-summer perennials. This Chelsea chop should remove half of growth. It feels brutal, but it will pay off later. If you haven’t done the staking yet, wade into the beds while you still can. Nothing is more irritating than having to stake once plants start to topple.

Herbs to pot

I am moving my herb garden next year. In readiness, I am propagating all the woody herbs, taking slip cuttings of sage, rosemary, winter savoury and thyme. Although an old rosemary bush is characterful, it is prone to legginess. I like to re-pot mint every other year for the same reason. Grow in pots because they escape in the beds, but do not confine for long. Mix two different mints in a pot for diversity and tip them regularly to encourage young foliage. Tender herbs, such as basil and coriander, can be sown among the perennial herbs at the end of May.