May is here and summer is just around the corner so it’s time to tidy up your spring plants and plant out your summer flowers.

1. Lawn care

With spring in full swing, the lawn will be growing very quickly, so it’s best to keep on top of the mowing. It’s easier to mow regularly than mowing through long grass on fewer occasions.

If you haven’t had a chance to mow the lawn recently and it has grown very long it will need mowing twice, once on a high setting and then again on a lower setting to neaten the first cut.

Pushing a lawnmower into the long grass is bad for the mower and will result in the blunting of blades, clogging of the mower and the possibility of damage to the engine. It will also result in a very rough looking cut.

2. Lawn scarification

Moss, debris and ‘thatch’ (dead grass) can build up over the winter. To keep your lawn in top condition it needs to be removed at least once a year.

If you have a large lawn it may be worthwhile hiring a scarifier, otherwise, the same job can be done using a wire rake (although it is quite a vigorous task).

Starting at one end of the garden, rake through the grass pulling out the moss or ‘thatch’ as you go. Work your way across the lawn until the whole area has been sacrificed.

3. Lawn aeration

Aerating a lawn is tiring work with a fork but well worth it for a beautiful, green lawn. Start at one end and work your way backwards, pushing the fork into the ground at least every 6 inches. Various aerating products are also available to make the job easier. Repeat this process until the entire lawn has been aerated.

Want more tips to care for your lawn? Take a look at our How To Rejuvenate Your Lawn Guide.

4. Harden-off and plant out summer bedding plants

After your summer bedding plants have been sitting comfortably in a warm greenhouse or conservatory, it can be a bit of a shock to them to be planted straight outside where night-time temperatures are a lot colder. 

To prevent the risk of losses due to planting out, harden them off by leaving them outside in their pots during the daytime, only bringing them in at night. This eases them into outdoor life a lot more gradually, as a result of this you’ll be able to enjoy a healthy display from your plants in the summer.

It’s important to leave your frost-tender plants, such as summer bedding, in a sheltered place until all risk of frost has passed. Usually, the end of May is a safe time, however, they will need to be hardened off first (as above). Once you have planted your bedding give them a generous dose of water to settle them into their new position.

5. Tie-in climbing roses

Roses usually start to produce long shoots from May onwards. Any unwanted new growth can be cut off at the base, but good quality shoots on climbing varieties can be trained to the wall replacing very old stems.

6. Deadhead, move and divide bulbs

Pull the spent flowers off any remaining spring bulbs. To maintain a healthy bulb for next year don’t cut the leaves off. All green parts are still photosynthesising and putting energy into the bulb which will be stored and used next spring.

Where Bulbs have naturalised in your garden you may now have a large clump of flowers in one place. Dividing your bulbs means that next year, not only will you have a better spacing of flowers, but they will multiply even more.

7. Prune dogwoods

Dogwoods look fabulous in spring with their vibrant coloured stems, that’s why it’s a shame to cut them back too early. They don’t always survive a hard prune, so it’s a good idea to leave half of the stems per plant intact and remove the others.

The older stems can be removed right at the base where they join onto the root mass and younger, brighter stems should be left until the following year.

8. Plant out tubers

If you have stored tuberous plants, such as Begonias and Dahlias over the winter, now’s the time to plant them outside. Tubers should be planted quite shallow – they only need to be covered by about 1 inch of soil.

If your tubers have grown shoots, make sure you plant them with the shoots pointing upwards. Once you have planted your tubers give them some water to boost them into action.

We hope this guide has provided lots of ideas of what to do and plant in the garden in May. Why not get started by looking at our fantastic range of bedding plants.