Starting A Vegetable Garden

There’s nothing quite like a juicy, vine-ripened tomato or a summer squash. Growing vegetables requires a bit of work, but it can be very rewarding.

Ideally, the garden should be located near a water source for easy access for watering. Frequent watering helps new seeds and transplants establish quickly.

As National Gardening Week draws to a close and, with the sun hopefully just around the corner, May is the last month to get your garden prepped for heat while still considering cold mornings and torrential downpours.

To help avid gardeners get their outdoor space in check for summer, garden building experts Tiger have all the gardening jobs you should complete in May.

Plant summer bedding plants and prune shrubs

Sam Jenkinson, garden expert at Tiger, said: “May is the perfect time to plant summer bedding plants such as petunias, marigolds, and geraniums. These plants will provide colour and fragrance in your garden throughout the summer months, as well as attract bees and wildlife. After spring-flowering shrubs have finished blooming, you can also prune them back to encourage new growth and maintain their shape.”

Sow vegetable seeds

Sam said: “May is the ideal time to sow vegetable seeds such as tomatoes, peppers, beans, and courgettes. Make sure the soil is warm and well-drained before planting. Warm-season crops can be planted in containers in your potting shed after the last frost date in your area, which is usually in late spring or early summer.”

Weed regularly

Sam said: “Weeds can quickly take over a garden if left unchecked at this time of year, so it’s important to weed regularly to keep them under control. Borders and edges of garden beds are common areas for weeds to grow, which can be tricky to tend to if you have any garden structures nearby – soften your soil and remove all visible weeds and place some weed killer down to prevent any more from cropping up.”

Feed and water plants regularly

Sam said: “To encourage strong growth and healthy blooms, it’s important to feed plants regularly during the growing season. Use a balanced fertiliser to provide plants with the nutrients they need. As the weather starts to warm up, plants will require more water to stay healthy. Make sure to water plants regularly, especially those in containers.”

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Tend to your lawn

Sam said: “May is a good time to start cutting the lawn regularly to keep it looking neat and tidy. If you’re looking to repair any areas of your lawn or create new patches of grass, sow grass seed in these areas this month. Avoid cutting grass while it’s wet as clumps of wet trimmings are likely to cling to other areas like patios, furniture and outdoor buildings and can take a long time to clean up. Pick a dry day with a light breeze.”

Source: walesonline.co.uk