May Garden and Allotment Jobs
May has arrived and the garden is filling out by the day! There’s a natural rhythm to follow now: a bit of planting, a little tying in, the odd pause to notice what’s suddenly appeared since yesterday. And if my allotment is anything to go by, a lot of weeding.
To avid overwhelm I think of the following less as a list of jobs to be done and more as ways to spend time outdoors, keeping things moving while I enjoy the shift into a fuller, greener season.
Planting and filling beds
This is the big planting-out month. Once risk of frost passes (often mid–late May in much of the UK), you can move tender plants outside.
Plant out tomatoes, courgettes, pumpkins, squash, sweetcorn and beans.
Fill any remaining gaps in beds as that bare soil will quickly invite weeds.
Supporting and training
Put up canes, frames or netting for runner beans, climbing French beans and peas.
Tie in tomatoes and start removing side shoots on cordon varieties.
Train cucumbers and other climbers early while stems are flexible.
Sowing succession crops
Keep sowing little and often.
Re-sow lettuce, radish, salad leaves and spring onions every couple of weeks for a steady harvest.
Watering and feeding
Water regularly, especially newly planted crops and anything in containers.
Start feeding fast growers (like tomatoes) once they begin flowering.
Mulch beds to help retain moisture and suppress weeds.
Weeding and general care
Hoe beds on dry days. Younger weeds are easier to deal with now.
Keep an eye out for pests like slugs, aphids and caterpillars.
Thin seedlings to give them proper space (it feels harsh, but it matters).
Greenhouse and indoors
Ventilate your greenhouse well. With the longer, sunnier days greenhouses can overheat quickly now. Shade it if needed during very bright spells.
Continue potting on anything that’s still under cover.
As I say, there’s no need to do it all. A little time here and there is often enough to keep everything moving in the right direction. More than anything, May is a month to enjoy being outside, with your hands in the soil and the sense that everything is quietly, steadily growing.
