January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

General Care

Beware of late frosts but remember it can also get quite hot. Apply mulch to keep the moisture in. Remove suckers from fruit trees. Spray roses and fruit bushes as required to keep aphids and caterpillars under control. Use grapefruit skins to catch slugs and snails. Remember to water new plants, shrubs, trees etc.

Flower beds

Make sure all your hardy annuals are planted. May is feed time. Use a general purpose fertiliser but a rose fertiliser on the roses. Spread liberal amounts of compost around. Support tall perennials such as delphiniums and gladioli as they grow. Spray roses against greenfly.

Lawn

Mow regularly. Apply a lawn fertiliser to your lawn.

Pond

Remove any blanket weed before it really gets going. Divide any plants that are too big. Plant up new aquatic plants.

Greenhouse

The May sun can do untold damage to new plants. Check they are not getting excessively hot or dry. Plant your hanging baskets but hang them in the greenhouse to develop.

Vegetables

Frosts can still occur so be ready to protect new plants especially potatoes. Sow french beans, spinach, runner beans, beetroots, sprouts and cauliflowers. Put up poles for runner beans.

Indoors

Houseplants do not like a draught. Regularly water all houseplants from now until the autumn.