Gardening Tasks for May

The start of another month means another list of garden tasks to get under way with. As you would expect, there are still the regular tasks that must be carried out. However, if you’re unsure of what else might not be so obvious this guide might help.

Change your Watering Habits

Of course, you can do this at any point in the year, but May is generally the time of year at which the weather really begins to pick up, meaning you can do it properly. Install a water butt in your garden, or any other type of water collector and use it to collect any rainwater that you could then reuse to water your plants. You should also, if you don’t already, change your habits to water thoroughly once or twice a week. This is preferable over little and often as it is more beneficial to the plants.

Clear Paths and Patios

The improved weather also means that you can give the pathways and patios in your garden a thorough cleaning. It is likely that, giving the wet winter weather, they will have become grimy and potentially slippery. You can clear the moss and weeds off by simply using your hands and clearing away the grime with a stiff bristled brush and detergent, but you may want to use a paving cleaner.

Mow Your Lawn

Your grass will now begin to dry out, meaning that it will be able to withstand regular cutting. If possible, you should begin to give the lawn a quick cut each week. This will prevent it from growing too long and uncontrollable and makes the job a lot easier for you.

Add a Dash of Colour

There is no better time than the transition between Spring and Summer to add a dash of colour to your garden, and planting up hanging baskets and plant pots and containers are the quickest and easiest way to do so. However, you should keep in mind that tender plants will need to have been hardened off earlier on in the year.

Harvest your Rhubarb

This is your last chance to collect the garden treasure that is rhubarb. You should not worry about whether or not you will eat it all; it is better to have picked it and have the opportunity to eat it, rather than leave it in the garden to go to waste.

Plant your Strawberries

Strawberries are one of the best things about the summer, and you don’t want to miss out on the best of them just because you planted them too late. They will grow well in the ground, in planters or even in hanging baskets, meaning that everyone can enjoy the satisfying taste of homegrown strawberries from their garden.

Is there anything you swear by doing in the garden in May? Let us know in the comments section below!

[Photo Credit: Rossco]