Jobs to be doing this month include:
Ornamental Garden:
- This month is a fast period of growth. Late frosts may catch early blooms and soft growth – remove any damaged growth.
- Spray roses with rose clear or similar.
- Weed
- Continue to remove spent flowers of spring bulbs but not the foliage until it has withered and yellowed.
- Chelsea-chop time – If the Nepeta and Sedums are looking leggy then cutback by a third to encourage compact growth that will not collapse later in the season. This can be applied to the lavender, echinops, Echinacea, aster, helenium and salvia too if felt necessary.
- Trim Rosemary, Thyme and Sage if not done in April.
- Cutback withered daffodil or tulip stems once they have turned yellow.
- Trim grass edges of borders regularly to keep neat and tidy.
- Prune spring flowering clematis
- Stake and support herbaceous perennials if necessary
- If daffs gave a poor show lift and divide bulbs and replant.
- Continue deadheading spring bulbs.
- Start hardening off tender plants for planting out.
Veg Garden:
- Harvest Asparagus
- Direct sow french beans and sweet corn if weather is warm enough
- Start earthing up potatoes
- Harvest early crops such as radish / lettuce etc.
- Refrain from planting tomatoes too early as they suffer if exposed to temperatures below 12 degrees.
- Sow pumpkins, cucumbers, courgettes, squashes under cover now and outdoors towards the end of the month.
