Garden tips

May

Note: those garden tips are based on the climate as we have in The Netherlands, a relatively cool climate. Most tips are to use for sub tropical and mediate climate. 

Garden tip pruning

Prune all shrubs who flower in spring time direct after flowering: Spirea, Prunus triloba, Ribes, and so on.
Prune green branches in variegated shrubs or trees, they will dominate.
When plants finish flowering such as by Rhododendron you can cut a way the old flowers. It will improve the compact growing of the plant.
Conifers such as hedges you can prune now. Taxus better to do later in June. Do not cut of conifers till the bald wood because they will not regrow. Only by Taxus and Juniperus this is allowed.

Perennials

Early in spring time flowering perennials can split after flowering. This also will improve the growing and flowering of these plants.

Garden tip the Pond

Look at your pond. Remove the plants are too much. Replant eventually some species such as the water lily, you can break them in peaces and plant them in separate containers. The water lily needs clay to grow and flower better. Check also if fish have no diseases. If necessary you treat them. Be careful while cleaning the pond for frogs and salamanders Do not hurt of kill them.

Garden tip the Lawn 

This is a good time to start making a new lawn of grass sod. Once or twice a week we mow the grass, this is depending the speed of growing.
Remove weeds from the lawn.

Garden tip tub plants

Strong tub plants (plants in pot for the garden) we can bring outside at the end of April or in the first week of May. When temperature is good you also may do this earlier. But protect them against frost at knight. Let the plants acclimatize first for a week in the shade. The spring time sun can burn these plants easy. Plants eventually must be pruned first. Remove weak stems and leaves. Eventually repot them. Plants such as Agapanthus can be split if they are too big. Give all your plants a first small gift of fertilizer.

Garden tip General

Annuals and all other plants who cannot survive frost we can bring outside after May 15 (in Holland).
Summer flowering plants such as bulbs we now can plant in the garden. Plants who cannot stand frost not before May 15.
If it is a dry period do not forget to water the new plants in the garden.
Check the garden on weeds and do this every week. 

Tips for flower arrangers

It is time now to use the beautiful flowering branches such as Prunus and Malus. (if spring is not too early). But also some perennials start flowering now such as Iris Germanica, Bergenia, Convallaria and Dicentra. You can use them in sensitive tender spring time bouquets or in flowery arrangements.

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Last update of this page 23.05.2004