Gardening Hints for May Well after a very dry and very cold April with many frosty nights, lets hope May well bring warmer temperatures where gardening will be a bit more enjoyable. Be aware of late frosts where it will kill of tender bedding plants, basket plants, tomato and cucumber plants. It is too early unless you have a greenhouse, the earliest to plant out tender summer plants is mid May. You can harden off plants by putting them outside during the day and bringing them back in to a well ventilated greenhouse during the night. May is a good time to sow cabbages, lettuces, carrots, peas, radishes, salad onions, spinach, turnips, winter cauliflowers and also plant brussels, early cabbage, cauliflower, shallots and onion sets. The second week in May is a good time to plant your runner beans. Dig in well rotted manure or composted materials into your prepared soil, keep well watered and when the flowers appear feed with a high potash feed once a week. Earth up early potatoes if they are showing through by covering the tender shoots with soil to prevent possible frost damage, it will also help to produce a heavier crop and prevent the top potatoes going green. Now is the time to mulch well established trees and shrubs and top dress with a general feed. Also give the lawn a good rake over with a metal rake to remove all dead grass, this will aerate the lawn and allow it to thicken up. Use a weed-feed and moss-killer for a really healthy lawn. If you fancy growing tomatoes and have limited space why not try tumbling cherry tomatoes, plant three in a hanging basket, just keep them watered and fed with tomato food once a week throughout the season you have no need to shake or pinch out the side shoots. Just let them grow and you will have plenty of sweet cherry tomatoes with very little effort. Although May is a very busy month, still find time to sit back, relax and enjoy your efforts with a drink of choice (mine is still a cold beer).
Cheers Source: Nigel, Art Garden Centre
Community events North Weald Bassett Parish Council is planning three community events - in North Weald, Hastingwood and Thornwood - to highlight the work of the council over the past year. The events would replace the usual Annual Parish Assembly - which has been cancelled because of COVID-19 - and give the council the opportunity to highlight ongoing matters in the Parish such as North Weald Airfield and the Inland Border Facility. The council is looking to hold the events, which could include its Citizen of the Year awards, in October.
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Tel: 07814 863955
Email: june@northwealdvillagelife.co.uk
www.northwealdvillagelife.co.uk
