{"id":1149,"date":"2026-05-14T16:08:25","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T15:08:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/lizsgarden\/?p=1149"},"modified":"2026-05-14T16:14:21","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T15:14:21","slug":"here-are-your-main-gardening-tasks-for-may-%f0%9f%8c%bf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/lizsgarden\/here-are-your-main-gardening-tasks-for-may-%f0%9f%8c%bf\/","title":{"rendered":"Your gardening tasks for May"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"350\" height=\"350\" src=\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/lizsgarden\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/180\/2021\/01\/10.5cm-Skimmia-Rubella.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-369\" style=\"width:596px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/lizsgarden\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/180\/2021\/01\/10.5cm-Skimmia-Rubella.jpg 350w, https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/lizsgarden\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/180\/2021\/01\/10.5cm-Skimmia-Rubella-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/lizsgarden\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/180\/2021\/01\/10.5cm-Skimmia-Rubella-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/lizsgarden\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/180\/2021\/01\/10.5cm-Skimmia-Rubella-80x80.jpg 80w, https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/lizsgarden\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/180\/2021\/01\/10.5cm-Skimmia-Rubella-320x320.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">Skimmia Japonia <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83c\udf31 Borders &amp; Groundwork<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Complete mulching of all borders with bark chips \u2014 now that weeds have been cleared, a good layer will suppress new growth through the summer<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check the island bed reshape is complete and the new kidney outline is firmly edged<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In the side border (ground elder area), inspect the cardboard and Mypex sheeting \u2014 ensure there are no gaps where ground elder may be pushing through and top up bark\/woodchip if needed<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Spot treat any emerging perennial weeds (bindweed, brambles) with Roundup on a dry day, allowing 4 hours before rain \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/gardening-how-to\/garden-plants\/difficult-garden-weeds\/\">more advice here<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Continue mulching front garden beds if not already complete<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83c\udf38 Plant Care &amp; Feeding<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Feed all borders with liquid tomato feed \u2014 continue this every 3 weeks from now through to October to keep plants growing strongly<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Feed the lemon tree with Epsom salts solution: dissolve 2 teaspoonfuls in 2 gallons of water and apply as a liquid feed \u2014 this corrects magnesium deficiency and boosts healthy foliage<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Feed the lonicera (honeysuckle) on the fence with Miracle-Gro All Purpose Plant Food to encourage a strong flush of summer flowers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Feed lavender plants with a high nitrogen fertiliser (e.g. Miracle-Gro All Purpose) to promote strong stems ahead of flowering \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/lizsgarden\/growing-lavender-essential-tips-for-thriving-plants-and-abundant-blooms\/\">see Liz&#8217;s lavender notes here<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pot up any remaining dahlias into fresh compost and move to a sheltered sunny spot \u2014 frosts are largely behind us now in mid-May, so they can begin settling in outside<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Keep clematis in pots well watered and plant out into the border once the root system looks well established<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Move the Christmas tree to a more open, airy position and begin regular feeding with liquid tomato feed to support new growth<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83c\udf39 Roses &amp; Climbing Plants<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Install horizontal support wires on the fence for the climbing rose if not already done \u2014 space wires approximately 30cm apart<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tie in new rose stems as they extend, directing growth along the wires to encourage an even, well-covered framework<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Begin feeding roses with a liquid tomato feed to encourage flowering \u2014 apply every 3 weeks through the growing season<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check the climbing rose for any signs of blackspot or aphid infestation and treat promptly if found \u2014 ask <a href=\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/lizsgarden\/elena-your-personal-gardening-assistant\/\">Elena<\/a> for advice on appropriate treatments<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2702\ufe0f Pruning &amp; Training<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Complete any remaining pyracantha pruning \u2014 cut back this month before it sets too much new growth<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Deadhead spring-flowering shrubs (camellias, azaleas) as blooms finish to keep plants looking tidy and direct energy into new growth<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>After flowering, prune hydrangeas back to a healthy pair of buds \u2014 do not cut into old wood unless reshaping is needed<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83e\udeb4 Propagation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Continue taking softwood cuttings from dahlias as they grow \u2014 cut just below a node, remove lower leaves, insert into compost and keep in a propagator or on a bright windowsill \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/gardening-how-to\/garden-plants\/grown-shrubs-from-softwood-cuttings\/\">full guidance here<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Prepare for skimmia cuttings later in the summer \u2014 take semi-ripe shoot tip cuttings in July\/August, inserting into free-draining compost in a shaded, sheltered position<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sow night-scented stock in pots on the patio for evening fragrance through summer \u2014 surface sow thinly and keep moist<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Plant out sweet peas that have been growing in pots, or sow a final batch directly into the border for late summer flowers \u2014 provide support canes or a wigwam for them to climb<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Direct sow calendula and aquilegia into the borders now \u2014 both are easy and will provide colour through summer and autumn<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83c\udf3f Lawn<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If clover was sown in April, check it is establishing well \u2014 keep lightly damp if dry spells occur and avoid mowing too closely for the first few cuts<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If clover overseeding has not yet been done, early May is still a good time to sow \u2014 see <a href=\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/gardening-how-to\/lawns\/benefits-of-a-micro-clover-lawn\/\">benefits of a micro-clover lawn<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Begin mowing regularly \u2014 raise the cutting height slightly during any dry periods to reduce stress on the grass<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Spot treat any broadleaf lawn weeds with Weedol for Lawns using a watering can with a fine rose \u2014 do not use on clover areas<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83c\udfe1 Front Garden<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Hand weed hairy bittercress from the front area before it sets seed \u2014 once seed heads appear it will spread rapidly<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Apply Roundup weedkiller to the drive on a dry day to tackle any remaining persistent weeds<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Continue the front bed mulching programme with cardboard as a base layer followed by bark on top<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If weather allows, this is a good month to tackle re-pointing the front wall and repainting the railings with Hammerite \u2014 dry, mild conditions are ideal for both jobs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For any questions about these tasks, ask <a href=\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/lizsgarden\/elena-your-personal-gardening-assistant\/\">Elena, your personal gardening assistant<\/a>, or <a href=\"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/lizsgarden\/garden-advisor\/\">contact your garden advisor<\/a> directly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That gives you 7 clearly sectioned areas matching the style of the April post. All links used are confirmed live from Liz&#8217;s site or from the gardenadvice.co.uk pages already referenced in her notes. Let me know if you&#8217;d like to adjust the tone, add\/remove any tasks, or if you&#8217;d like me to post it directly to her WordPress site via the GardenAdvice MCP.Sonnet 4.6Adaptive<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Skimmia Japonia \ud83c\udf31 Borders &amp; Groundwork \ud83c\udf38 Plant Care &amp; Feeding \ud83c\udf39 Roses &amp; Climbing Plants \u2702\ufe0f Pruning &amp; Training \ud83e\udeb4 Propagation \ud83c\udf3f Lawn \ud83c\udfe1 Front Garden For any questions about these tasks, ask&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":369,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1149","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-your-gardening-tasks"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/lizsgarden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1149","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/lizsgarden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/lizsgarden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/lizsgarden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/lizsgarden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1149"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/lizsgarden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1149\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/lizsgarden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/369"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/lizsgarden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1149"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/lizsgarden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1149"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/lizsgarden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1149"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}