Flower Care for May

Planting and Transplanting

• Plant out bedding plants in the coming two weeks, depending on the weather.
• Dahlias and gladiolus corms can be planted out where they are to flower.
• Sow seeds of hardy annual flowers, such as nasturtiums, for late summer color.
• Lift and move spring bulbs, like daffodils and snowdrops, while their green foliage is still present.
• Plant perennial flowers from pots or move them if necessary, making sure to water them well afterwards.

Caring for Bedding Plants

• Prepare the ground for bedding plants by digging, removing old plants, and adding well-rotted compost.
• Water young plants immediately after planting and every few days until they are actively growing, unless there is heavy rain.
• Apply a liquid feed to encourage rapid establishment of bedding plants.
• Hoe weed seedlings when they are small to prevent them from taking hold.

Container Gardening

• Plant up containers and baskets of summer bedding flowers, such as petunias and verbenas.

Pest Control

• Watch for slug and snail damage, particularly on susceptible plants like hostas, rodgersias, and ligularias.
• Monitor newly planted bedding plants for slug and snail damage and water shortage.

Staking and Maintenance

• Stake perennial flowers that need support well in advance, especially in windy gardens.
• Allow spring bulb foliage to die back naturally to feed the bulb for next year’s flowers.
• Run a hoe over the ground 10 days to two weeks after planting to knock out weed seedlings, and continue hoeing weekly until plants are well grown.