Monthly Garden Advice - May

 

As I have said this time for the past couple of years (is it really that long?) now is one of the busiest times in the garden.
The warmer weather has also woken up all of those weed seeds that have been dormant, and, if you have not had a walk round the garden for a few weeks, they have probably taken over. Removing them now will save a lot of time and effort later on. A lot of them tend to grow, flower and set seed very quickly so time is of the essence.         

Make sure you pull them out roots and all, and if they have already flowered ensure that the seed does not fly away as you yank them out of the ground..
Once you have cleared them, put down a mulch of bark, cocoa shells or compost to help stop new weeds getting a hold.

Now is also the time to feed your spring flowering bulbs and other plants. A slow release feed will keep them and your other plants going over the next few months. My personal favourite is pelleted chicken manure. You can get this at any garden centre and it is not as smelly as it might sound! Well, ok, maybe it’s a bit smelly, but your plants will love it.

If you like sweet peas, it is a little late to sow them now, but you will find pots of ready started sweet peas at many garden centres, although the cheapest and possibly best grown can be found at your local car boot sale. The one at Adur recreation ground often has quite a few stalls selling small plants and if you are trying to fill your garden on a budget then I have found boot sales to be a great place to find some well grown and healthy plants at really good prices.

In the vegetable garden you should be earthing up your potatoes now, as well planting your asparagus, and the last of your onions and shallots.
Fruit trees can be fed now too. Use a sulphate of potash fertiliser and you may get a better yield this year.

We are always being encouraged to buy compost bins, especially as the new season springs to life, however as a garden designer I rarely come across a client who wants or has room for one. There is always that guilty look in their eyes when they say they don`t want one but you really don`t need to feel guilty. Most of us want low maintenance gardens these days, which means less material for the compost anyway. The best way to ease the guilt and still not have one is to bag it up and take it to green waste bin at your local re-cycling centre. Check to make sure that your local tip has one. Keep it separate from any other waste and you will still be doing your bit, even if you are not putting it back directly on your own garden.