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May Gardening Jobs

May Gardening Jobs

As summer is well on its way and most of us have already had a taste of the weather to come, it is time to get serious with the garden. Whether you have kept your herbaceous borders ticking over throughout the colder months or you have left your garden to its own devices until now, there are a few things that you must do in order to stay on top of your gardening. Check out our top gardening jobs for May.

  1. Summer blooms. Nothing brings a fabulous flash of colour to your garden like summer bedding. There is an abundance of choice when it comes to colour and summer bedding plants are so versatile that you can make them suit most spaces. Whether you want to add colour to beds, borders, containers or hanging baskets, you will be spoilt for choice. You have two choices: to buy seedlings or plants, or to grow your own. If you buy plants, it is always best to get them from a good garden centre; often, cheaper plants are less likely to mature. Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security, stay alert for late frosts!
  2. Prep your tomatoes. Now is the time to either buy tomato plants or think about moving yours out, if you have seedlings growing indoors. If you have upright tomatoes, make sure that you use a tall cane to support the main stem to promote growth. Each week tie the new growth to the cane and pinch off any side shoots. If you opted for bush tomatoes, use a shorter cane and allow the side shoots to grow.
  3. The lawn. If you haven’t already, give your lawn a feed and remove weeds. It is likely that you have already had your first mow of the year, and from now on you will probably need to mow weekly. If you mowed long for the first cut, reduce the length each week until you get a length that you feel looks good and is manageable. If you need to sow new grass, this is your last chance to do so. If you don’t manage to do it by the beginning of May, you will need to wait until the autumn. If you are struggling to keep up with the mowing, get a quote from a local gardener before they become booked up for the year.
  4. Wildlife watch. Maintaining your garden isn’t just about looking after your plants, insects and birds play a crucial role in your garden’s health, too. Continue to feed birds and clean bird baths to ensure a plentiful supply of water. Plant out fast-growing annual and biennial plants, such as sweet peas. These don’t just look beautiful, they encourage pollinating insects, too.

Come the summer months, your garden will be your sanctuary, so it is worth investing a little time now to get it just right. If you don’t have the time, skill or inclination to do it yourself, take a look at Trust A Trader’s list of trusted, rated local gardeners who will be happy to offer you a no-obligation quote and get your garden feeling fantastic this summer.

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