Your gardening tasks for May

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Skimmia Japonia

🌱 Borders & Groundwork

  • Complete mulching of all borders with bark chips — now that weeds have been cleared, a good layer will suppress new growth through the summer
  • Check the island bed reshape is complete and the new kidney outline is firmly edged
  • In the side border (ground elder area), inspect the cardboard and Mypex sheeting — ensure there are no gaps where ground elder may be pushing through and top up bark/woodchip if needed
  • Spot treat any emerging perennial weeds (bindweed, brambles) with Roundup on a dry day, allowing 4 hours before rain — more advice here
  • Continue mulching front garden beds if not already complete

🌸 Plant Care & Feeding

  • Feed all borders with liquid tomato feed — continue this every 3 weeks from now through to October to keep plants growing strongly
  • Feed the lemon tree with Epsom salts solution: dissolve 2 teaspoonfuls in 2 gallons of water and apply as a liquid feed — this corrects magnesium deficiency and boosts healthy foliage
  • Feed the lonicera (honeysuckle) on the fence with Miracle-Gro All Purpose Plant Food to encourage a strong flush of summer flowers
  • Feed lavender plants with a high nitrogen fertiliser (e.g. Miracle-Gro All Purpose) to promote strong stems ahead of flowering — see Liz’s lavender notes here
  • Pot up any remaining dahlias into fresh compost and move to a sheltered sunny spot — frosts are largely behind us now in mid-May, so they can begin settling in outside
  • Keep clematis in pots well watered and plant out into the border once the root system looks well established
  • Move the Christmas tree to a more open, airy position and begin regular feeding with liquid tomato feed to support new growth

🌹 Roses & Climbing Plants

  • Install horizontal support wires on the fence for the climbing rose if not already done — space wires approximately 30cm apart
  • Tie in new rose stems as they extend, directing growth along the wires to encourage an even, well-covered framework
  • Begin feeding roses with a liquid tomato feed to encourage flowering — apply every 3 weeks through the growing season
  • Check the climbing rose for any signs of blackspot or aphid infestation and treat promptly if found — ask Elena for advice on appropriate treatments

✂️ Pruning & Training

  • Complete any remaining pyracantha pruning — cut back this month before it sets too much new growth
  • Deadhead spring-flowering shrubs (camellias, azaleas) as blooms finish to keep plants looking tidy and direct energy into new growth
  • After flowering, prune hydrangeas back to a healthy pair of buds — do not cut into old wood unless reshaping is needed

🪴 Propagation

  • Continue taking softwood cuttings from dahlias as they grow — cut just below a node, remove lower leaves, insert into compost and keep in a propagator or on a bright windowsill — full guidance here
  • Prepare for skimmia cuttings later in the summer — take semi-ripe shoot tip cuttings in July/August, inserting into free-draining compost in a shaded, sheltered position
  • Sow night-scented stock in pots on the patio for evening fragrance through summer — surface sow thinly and keep moist
  • Plant out sweet peas that have been growing in pots, or sow a final batch directly into the border for late summer flowers — provide support canes or a wigwam for them to climb
  • Direct sow calendula and aquilegia into the borders now — both are easy and will provide colour through summer and autumn

🌿 Lawn

  • If clover was sown in April, check it is establishing well — keep lightly damp if dry spells occur and avoid mowing too closely for the first few cuts
  • If clover overseeding has not yet been done, early May is still a good time to sow — see benefits of a micro-clover lawn
  • Begin mowing regularly — raise the cutting height slightly during any dry periods to reduce stress on the grass
  • Spot treat any broadleaf lawn weeds with Weedol for Lawns using a watering can with a fine rose — do not use on clover areas

🏡 Front Garden

  • Hand weed hairy bittercress from the front area before it sets seed — once seed heads appear it will spread rapidly
  • Apply Roundup weedkiller to the drive on a dry day to tackle any remaining persistent weeds
  • Continue the front bed mulching programme with cardboard as a base layer followed by bark on top
  • If weather allows, this is a good month to tackle re-pointing the front wall and repainting the railings with Hammerite — dry, mild conditions are ideal for both jobs

For any questions about these tasks, ask Elena, your personal gardening assistant, or contact your garden advisor directly.

That gives you 7 clearly sectioned areas matching the style of the April post. All links used are confirmed live from Liz’s site or from the gardenadvice.co.uk pages already referenced in her notes. Let me know if you’d like to adjust the tone, add/remove any tasks, or if you’d like me to post it directly to her WordPress site via the GardenAdvice MCP.Sonnet 4.6Adaptive