Some much needed rain for gardens last Monday night but still too many dull days making them shorter than usual for May.
A heap of work was done here in our garden this week with compost going down fast and as leaves and annual weeds are removed from gardens it gets shoveled on thickly around plants. However not quite ready for the pea straw cover yet as still a few more leaves to fall and collect. A good watering is required before straw goes on if the rain did not get down far.
Bearded Iris rhizomes and freesia bulbs will have pushed up, exposed to bake in the sun so compost and mulch should be kept off.
Our garden gets carried away from time to time and tries to out grow the size allotted to it!! shrubs I planted and thought at the time I could keep shaped to fit a space but after a while I get fed up with trying to keep them the right size, they are either dug out or dug up if manageable and given a ride in the wheel barrow. Complete new garden rooms can be created by shifting tall front plantings to the back which opens a space allowing room in the front to be edged and graveled for the placing of seating or may be a statue or large ornate pot. Don't hesitate in reducing the height and width of trees and shrubs, it is essential if garden space is limited, if only to let more light on to lower growing plants stopping leggy growth and encouraging optimum flowering. If shrubs have been wrenched to be shifted, height and width needs to be reduced to compensate for damaged roots.
Our garden gets carried away from time to time and tries to out grow the size allotted to it!! shrubs I planted and thought at the time I could keep shaped to fit a space but after a while I get fed up with trying to keep them the right size, they are either dug out or dug up if manageable and given a ride in the wheel barrow. Complete new garden rooms can be created by shifting tall front plantings to the back which opens a space allowing room in the front to be edged and graveled for the placing of seating or may be a statue or large ornate pot. Don't hesitate in reducing the height and width of trees and shrubs, it is essential if garden space is limited, if only to let more light on to lower growing plants stopping leggy growth and encouraging optimum flowering. If shrubs have been wrenched to be shifted, height and width needs to be reduced to compensate for damaged roots.
I continue to divide overgrown perennial clumps, some to fill gaps and some to pot up and grow on until strong roots develop and fill pots before planting. Once plants have been sectioned and rearranged cover beds and around plants with compost which will encourage new root growth and help keep perennial beds warmer through the colder months.
Lilies and Peony roses can be planted or shifted this month, be careful not to break the fleshy scales on Lily bulbs and new shoots on peony tubers.
Fruit and Veg.
Strawberries: Continue planting, raising the beds where drainage is suspect and adding manure rich compost to the beds.
Fruit and Veg.
Strawberries: Continue planting, raising the beds where drainage is suspect and adding manure rich compost to the beds.
Raspberries: When finished fruiting cut fruiting stems back by half, the new tip growth will bear fruit after that cut those two year old canes back to the ground.
Apples: are still dripping from trees, best to pick for storing now before birds enjoy the lot. Leave pruning pip fruit until next month.
Continue planting winter veg to get them going before soil gets too cold. Snow peas, Pak choi, Kale, broccoli, cauliflower and beetroot. Baby spinach in a kitchen window container picked often will supply needed greens over winter.
This is the last month to sow carrot seed, onion sets ( in punnets already at bulb stage) achieve better results now than planting seeds.
Cheers, Linda.
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