With the longer days and warmer weather, there is much to do in the garden in May with a focus on tidying Spring plants and planting out flowers and veg for the Summer.

There is still the chance of late frosts, so watch the forecast and be sure to protect tender plants with fleece as required. It important to keep on top of weeds this month, regular weeding in borders, your veg plot or containers will ensure they do not take hold – tackle them now!

It’s a great month to continue with your Grow Your Own plans and why not try something different, there some amazing unusual varieties to try – Cucamelon, Black Tomatoes (Indigo Rose), Romanesco Broccoli and Purple Carrots. You could take a look at some of the Heritage varieties we have been around for hundreds of years! They offer great and unusual crops, real talking points!

As the weather gets warmer it’s time to focus on water, start collecting and recycling water and plan your watering regime, early and late is best. Container plants will need watering and feeding this month to ensure they give you the very best show.

Homegrown sweetcorn is delicious and given a sunny spot with good soil it can thrive in your garden. As soon as the risk of frost has passed Sweetcorn, Squash and Pumpkin seeds can all be planted directly into well-prepared soil. Sow 2 seeds in each growing site and create mini cloches by cutting off the base of a plastic drinks bottle and placing it over the soil where you have planted your seeds, this will help germination and keep pests away.

Late May, once the risk of frost has passed is a good time to plant out your Sweetpeas. Plant in fertile soil, beneath a support such as a bamboo cane wigwam, water well and watch then grow! Planting out dahlias tubers and chrysanthemums for late summer flowering.

The flavour of homegrown tomatoes straight from the vine just can’t be beaten. Tomatoes are easy to grow and product a high yield, just a couple of plants will provide you with a delicious crop throughout the Summer. Tomatoes can be grown in the ground, in containers and in grow bags. See our dedicated blog on how easy it is to plant tomatoes!

Your lawn is loving the warmer temperatures and is now growing in earnest, now is a good time to focus on weeds, it’s important to tackle them now so that they don’t get a chance to grow, set flowers and spread more seeds. Digging weeds out can be effective or you can use a good quality, appropriate weed killer to treat your lawn. If you haven’t already given your lawn its first mow and ideally mow it once a week.

Slugs and snails want to feast on all the new growth your plants are producing this month, focus on protecting your seedlings and the new shoots of emerging plants. Slug traps and copper rings are two ways to help repel the slug population and slug pellets can be scattered thinly around vulnerable plants.

There are over 1500 species of insect pollinators in the UK and so many of our plants need them to flourish. Many species of bee, butterfly, moth, hoverfly, beetle and fly do this essential work, but sadly many are in decline. Allocating an area of your garden to Wildflowers is such an amazing gift for our pollinators, it’s low maintenance and fantastic for all wildlife sharing your garden. There are some great seed selections to choose from, just check they are suitable for the soil conditions in your garden. Don’t forget to ensure there is a water source in your garden for all the wildlife that shares your garden.

Heritage vegetables that have stood the test of time, such as these Tomatoes – ‘Black Russian’ which are an old variety of beef tomatoes. Definitely a talking point amongst your barbeque guests. Slice and top with a slither of mozzarella cheese and finish with a sprinkle of chopped, home grown basil and you will be sure to impress!

Climbers can make a great addition to your garden – Clematis, wisteria, honeysuckle and of course beautiful sweet peas. At this time of year, their shoots are growing at an incredible rate and it’s important to give them the support they need to ensure they look their best and stay healthy. Climbers also make great Patio displays, make sure your pot is big enough to give your plant enough root space and use canes or silver birch to make a wigwam. Don’t forget to tie in your climbing and rambling roses.

Squash (Butternut) Hercules F1 MF Veg Seeds

SQUASH (Butternut) Hercules F1 is a vigorously growing plant with big, sweet, tasty fruits and a small seed cavity so lots of flesh to eat. Each fruit can weigh up to 3lb and stores well.

Provanto® Ultimate Bug Killer

Provanto® Ultimate Bug Killer is the go-to insecticide for gardeners, it is fast acting and gives up to two weeks of control. It kills most common pests including Greenfly, Whitefly, Caterpillars, Blackfly, Pea & Bean Weevils, Sawfly, Leaf Beetles, Capsids, Red Plum Maggot and Plum Fruit Moth

Mr Fothergill’s Tomato Akron F1

Prime, award-winning tomatoes. Given the RHS Award of Garden Merit, this tomato is considered the best ‘all-rounder’ for easy growing and excellent flavour. Assessed by a board of experts, this Tomato is a sure way to enhance any dish to Michelin quality!

Roundup Fast Action Pump ‘N Go Weed Killer 5L

Ready to use weedkiller in an easy to use pressure sprayer. Provides up to 10 minutes of continuous spraying ideal for treating large areas of weeds. Kills weeds to the roots in a single application. Visible results can be seen in 1 – 2 days.