May brings a flurry of essential gardening tasks that keep your garden thriving. Some simply can't wait.
Focus now on those April-sown seeds with timely transplanting. For small plants, use buckets; for larger ones, go straight into the ground. Protect them by covering or mulching, as nights can still turn chilly.
Stay ahead of weeding without overwhelm. Regular passes with the hoe are quick, simple, and highly effective.
Your tomatoes are sprouting side shoots—time to pinch them off along the main stem. Leave the primary stem intact; prune it later, just above the fifth flower cluster.
Planting season is in full swing. Stagger sowings every 15 days for salads, beans, radishes, and courgettes to prevent overproduction.
Once the soil warms, mulch your crops. This suppresses weeds and shelters beneficial soil life.
Sow annuals directly in place—large seeds like nasturtium and morning glory skip transplanting. Pick their permanent spots now. Smaller annuals go in a nursery bed for later transplanting into veggie patches.
If you fertilized in autumn with compost or manure, hold off on more right away. In frequently watered, nutrient-hungry gardens, reserves deplete fast due to leaching. Opt for crop-specific fertilizers (like for tomatoes or strawberries). Well-balanced compost—incorporating seaweed, manure, and more—often suffices on its own.
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