If a gardening job is done at the right time it will help save you money and/or spread the cost. It is also better for your garden or outdoor space!
Trees, Shrubs & Climbers
It not too late to plant deciduous hedging plants, shrubs, trees and climbers.
Prune Evergreens such as Choisya ternata and evergreen Ceanothus.
Remove frost damaged shoots from evergreens damaged during winter.
Tie in climbing and rambling roses as horizontally as possible to encourage plenty of side shoots and more flowers.
Mulch roses, shrubs and trees to help retain moisture, condition the soil and prevent weeds. Pay special attention to shallow rooted plants such as Rhododendron, Azaleas and Camellias to help keep the roots cool.
Remove shoots from hardy variegated evergreen to prevent the shrubs from reverting back to one colour.
Prune fig trees
Divide bamboo.
Take softwood cuttings of hydrangeas and fuschias and propagate.
Take cuttings of your favourite conifers.
Beds, Borders & Perennials
Hoe annuals and dig out persistent weeds.
Divide overgrown perennial plants to encourage new growth and flowers and propagate.
Cut back and clear any dead, dying or diseased winter bedding or perennials.
Deadhead spring bedding plants and bulbs before they go to seed.
Prune back penstemon, Teucrium, lavender and other slightly tender plants above new growth.
Leave daffodils and tulips to die down completely so they can photosynthesis and feed the bulb for next year's flower.
Give shrubs and roses a boost by feeding with an all purpose slow release fertiliser around the base avoiding the leaves. Miracle grow or blood, fish & bone are good all rounders for this purpose.
Apply a fine mulch of at least 2 -3 inches to feed the soil and nurture the plants.
Put plant supports in place for plants to grow over them.
Sow sweet peas and other hardy annuals outside.
Plant summer flowering bulbs.
Start to feed citrus plants
Greenhouse and conservatory plants will need watering.
Lawn Care
Mow the lawns on a regular basis, keeping the cut on high to help hold in moisture and discourage unwanted weeds. If you can try to leave some areas longer to encourage other taller species of wild flowers to grow to encourage more bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects. Learn about how to increase bee population ten fold - No Mow May.
Cut lawn edges to give a neat appearance and prevent grass spreading into the borders.
Give your lawns a nitrogen spring feed to
April - May is a good time to sow new lawns and over seed bare patches.
Apply a nitrogen feed to encourage healthy green growth and help discourage moss and weeds.
Ponds
Create extra shade to prevent algae from spreading by dividing and replanting waterlilies when they show signs of growth.
Start feeding fish.
During winter your pond filter would have gotten really dirty and so give it a clean then check a week later to see if it needs cleaning again.
Planting Wildflowers
Planting wildflowers is an easy and cost effective way to give colour and encourage wildlife to your garden or outdoor space. Since the second world war we lost almost our entire meadows so planting a mixture of wildflowers and grasses will help to provide food and shelter for a wide range of species. There are various ways of introducing wildflowers by laying turf, planting plugs or sowing seed. You can plant a meadow wherever you have space amongst existing shrubs, perennials, or even in troughs or pots. Choose whether you want a perennial or annual wildflower meadow. British native perennial which replicates our lost grasslands and hey meadows add much needed value for our wildlife. Annual meadows tend to be more colourful and planted with non native plants but tend to add less value to wildlife.
When the danger of frost is over you can start to think about planning and planting your troughs, baskets and pots with new summer bedding.
During the bank holiday why not think about buying some new plants that will benefit the local wildlife?
