Gardening Hints

After a very dry March and April, with lots of frosty nights when we hope May will be bring warmer days and nights so we are can still expect to spend time in our gardens. Be aware of late frosts which will kill tender bedding, basket plants, tomatoes and cucumbers. May is the month to get your ground ready for planting runner beans, but don’t be tempted to plant them until the second week in May. You can also sow cabbages, turnips, cauliflowers, carrots, brussel sprouts, spinach, lettuce, radish and salad onions. Early potatoes should now be showing through, make sure you keep earthing them up to prevent possible frost and it also prevents future potatoes going green. Now is the time to mulch well established trees and shrubs in the garden. Top dress with a general feed, Growmore is a good all round balanced fertiliser.

We have a good selection of roses available and suggest you spray them once a month with Roseclear to keep green fly and blackspot at bay. Don’t forget if you have empty baskets, troughs and pots, that you want refilling it is not too late to bring them into the garden centre to be filled with plants of your choice. This is the best time to sit in the garden, listen to the birds, and enjoy the smells and sounds with a drink of your choice. Mine is a nice cold beer! Cheers!.

Source: Nigel, Art Garden Centre.

This month we have a wonderful collection of local photos. Please send in your photos to me at June@northwealdvillagelife.co.uk

Photo: Terry Taylor—Amazing Robin

Photo: Jake O’Leary—Hedgehog visiting his children’s play area