May is an enchanting month in the garden. As the last vestiges of spring give way to the burgeoning warmth of approaching summer, your garden requires some special attention to thrive. At Boma Garden Centre, we understand the nuances of garden care during this transitional period. Here are our expert gardening tips for May, designed to help you craft a vibrant and beautiful garden for between Spring and Summer.
10 Best Gardening Tips For May
Sometimes this time of year can feel a bit overwhelming with lots of jobs to do and seeds to sow, plants to pot on, harden off and plant out—but keeping a list of jobs to do and ticking them off as you go along can be helpful. Here are our top 10 tips for gardening in May.
1: Assess and prepare your soil
Start the month by assessing your garden's soil condition. After the long winter, soils can be compacted and depleted of nutrients. Loosen the soil with a fork and add a layer of nutrient-rich compost. Compost not only improves soil structure and drainage but also provides essential nutrients that are vital for plant growth. You can find high-quality compost at Boma Garden Centre, ideal for giving your plants the best start.
2: Plant Summer Bedding Plants
With the risk of frost almost gone, May is the perfect time to plant summer bedding plants. Choose vibrant petunias, marigolds, and geraniums to add a splash of colour to your garden. Plant them in well-prepared beds, pots, or hanging baskets, ensuring they are well spaced to allow for growth and air circulation.
3: Prune spring flowering shrubs
Once your spring-flowering shrubs like Forsythia and Rhododendron have finished blooming, it’s time to give them a prune. Cutting back the spent flowers and any wayward branches encourages healthy growth and shapes the plant for the coming months.
4: Stay on top of weeding
Regular weeding is crucial in May as the warmer weather also encourages weeds to sprout. Keep on top of weeding to prevent them from taking valuable nutrients away from your plants. Using a hoe can make this task easier, allowing you to disturb the soil and remove weeds before they establish.
5: Support climbing plants
Climbing plants like clematis, sweet peas, and climbing roses will be starting to grow vigorously. Provide support with trellises or stakes to help them grow upwards and prevent damage from strong winds. This also helps to maintain a tidy appearance and maximises flowering potential.
6: Install an irrigation system
To prepare for the hot summer months, consider installing an irrigation system. Gardena irrigation systems, available at Boma Garden Centre, offer a hassle-free way to ensure your plants are consistently watered, even in your absence. These systems can be tailored to your garden's needs, promoting water conservation and plant health.
7: Feed your plants
Feed your plants with a balanced fertiliser to promote healthy growth and abundant blooms. Pay special attention to container plants as they can quickly exhaust the nutrients available in their soil. A slow-release fertiliser can be particularly effective, providing steady nutrients over time.
8: Protect young plants from pests
As young plants are particularly vulnerable to pests, regular checks are essential. Keep an eye out for slugs, snails, and aphid infestations. Boma Garden Centre stocks a range of environmentally friendly pest control options to keep your garden healthy and thriving without harming the ecosystem.
9: Harvest early crops
For herb and vegetable gardeners, in May, you can immediately start picking from the herb planters that can be harvested throughout summer for cooking. It is time for vegetable gardeners to start harvesting early crops such as lettuce, radish, and early potatoes. Regular harvesting yields delicious, fresh produce and stimulates further growth.
10: Regular maintenance
Finally, regular maintenance, such as mowing the lawn, edging borders, and checking for plant diseases, will keep your garden looking great and functioning well.
Best Garden Plants For May
May is an excellent time to focus on planting outdoor plants that thrive in the late spring and early summer. With warmer weather and longer days, the garden is ready to flourish with vibrant flowers, shrubs, perennial plants and climbers.
Flowering plants
As we noted in one of our top tips, May is perfect for planting summer-flowering plants that will bring colour and life to your garden throughout the summer months. Ensure they are planted in sunny spots with adequate watering. Here are some top summer-flowering plant options:
- Geraniums
- Lavender
- David Austin Roses (shrub and climbing varieties)
- Dahlias
- Dianthus Pinks
Climbers
Climbing plants add vertical interest to your garden and can be trained over trellises, fences, or walls. May is ideal for planting these hardy climbers:
- Clematis
- Honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.)
- Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)
- Climbing Roses
Shrubs
Shrubs provide structure and greenery to your garden year-round. Plant these robust options in May for a strong start:
Perennials
Perennials return year after year, making them a valuable addition to any garden. May is an optimal time to plant these hardy varieties:
- Echinacea
- Nepeta (Catmint)
- Achillea (Yarrow)
- Gaillardia (Blanket Flower)
Best Indoor Seeds To Sow in May
If you are wondering what to sow in the kitchen garden in May, which is a time of year when there is already so much to do in the garden, we have got you covered!
Annual flower seeds to sow indoors in May
May is also the perfect time to sow your annual flower seeds for indoor displays, which you can also cut for the vase. Prepare where you want them to grow, ensuring the soil is fine and moist, then sprinkle your seeds thinly, lightly cover over and make sure there are no weeds as the roots are growing. Check the seed packet for specific instructions.
Annuals to sow include:
- Marigolds
- Sunflowers
- Nasturtiums
- Cornflower
- Wildflower mixes
- Calendula
- Cosmos
- Ageratum
Vegetable seeds to sow indoors in May
As the weather warms up and the soil temperatures rise, many seeds can be sown. Perhaps none as satisfying as those that become something you can eat! Direct sowing where the plants will grow is a great way to save space indoors or in the greenhouse, if you run out due to many trays of seeds already growing. Here are some of the seeds you can sow in May:
- Courgette
- Sweet corn
- Broccoli
- Brussel sprouts
- Cauliflower
- Kale
- Peas
- Swede
Salad seeds to sow indoors in May
Salads are some of the most accessible seeds to germinate and grow. They can be grown in containers, window boxes, hanging baskets, or beds and borders. Great fun for kids too! If you regularly sow salad seeds, you can be harvesting from as little as a few weeks after sowing and all the way through into autumn.
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Spring Onions
- Carrots
- Microgreens
- Mizuna
- Bok Choy
- Chard
Unlock the Joy of May Gardening at Boma Garden Centre
As the hub for all your gardening needs, Boma Garden Centre provides a comprehensive range of garden care supplies, from our gorgeous outdoor plants to high-quality compost and state-of-the-art Gardena irrigation systems. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting, our expert team is here to support you.
Prepare your garden for summer with the right tools and expertise from Boma—where your garden’s potential becomes a reality. Visit us in London for our full seasonal range.
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Popular Questions
What should I plant in the kitchen garden in May?
In May, you can sow a wide variety of vegetable, salad, and annual flower seeds to keep your kitchen garden thriving through summer and into autumn. It’s the perfect time to plant brassicas like cabbages and purple-sprouting broccoli, squashes such as pumpkins and courgettes, root veg including carrots and beets, plus sweetcorn, leafy salads, and nutritious microgreens. Even if you feel like you’re behind, there’s still plenty you can grow for a rich, extended harvest.
What are the best garden jobs to do in May?
The best May gardening jobs include assessing and enriching your soil, which is key for nurturing tender plants that need extra care after winter. Make sure to water plants regularly, and don't forget your tender perennials! They thrive when given ample hydration and protection from the early summer heat.
May is also a great time to start your vegetable garden, sowing seeds or transplanting young vegetables that will soon yield a fresh harvest. For those with fruit trees, a little extra attention now can go a long way towards keeping them healthy. You can also trim and nurture early spring flowering bulbs in May once they've finished blooming. This encourages a second wave of growth and keeps them healthy for future seasons.
