General tasks and garden care

The soil is warming up and things are starting to grow, add general purpose fertiliser before covering with mulch especially in flower borders, the fruit and vegetable patch and containers. If you have already mulched, draw it back if possible, tease the soil a little, add the fertiliser and replace the mulch.

Carry on removing moss and weeds from paths,terraces and drives and keep an eye out for pests around the garden. try to keep the use of chemical controls to a minimum- they may kill off pests, but they also kill off beneficial insects that prey on them such as ladybirds and many others.

Now is the time to wage war on slugs and snails. They love tulips and young delphiniums and the like, so use pet friendly slug pellets. There are many available from your local garden centre. Keeps an eye out for snails and pick them off...what you do with them is up to you. Birds can be your friends here -flat stones artfully located are useful accessories for birds to practise their snail bashing techniques.

 

 

Continue with the spring cleaning.

Hoe your borders to get rid of weeds before they take hold (ideally on a dry day to dessicate the victims) Annual weeds such as bitter cress and groundsel are enough of a nightmare without allowing them to go forth and multiply by seeding.

Dandelions are a monstrous nusiance at this time of year. If you dont have time to deal with them terminally,at least chop their heads off before they set seed. . .

More gardening tips for May

• Lawn care in April

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