May Gardening Jobs

Blog, Gardening Advice, News & Offers

Another step closer to Summer! The evenings are longer, we have warmer days on the horizon and there’s definitely a spring in everyone’s step. May is all about planting – the soil has warmed up and we hope your garden is ready for an injection of colour and new life. However, don’t be fooled by a warm day, there is still a chance of early morning frost, so it’s best to leave the Summer bedding until later in the month.

The month of May is also host to an array of events too, including National BBQ Month, Walking Month and No Mow May!

National BBQ Month

Who doesn’t love a BBQ? This year we have even more BBQ brands that you know and love, including PitBoss, Whistler Grills and Napolean, which are all new to our extensive range. We also have a new BBQ Showroom which not only gives a dedicated space where you can browse our range, but we will be showcasing them the only way we know how – by cooking on them. Be sure to join us and the brand experts too for some live cooking demos over the next few months.

PitBoss – Thursday 2nd June

National Walking Month

There’s no better feeling than being in the great outdoors, the fresh air on your face and the sound of birds cheeping away! This time of year is great too, with the bluebells and wildflowers out in the full bloom, it’s really worthwhile visiting your local parks and nature reserves. We’ve put together our top places to go and we’re some of these will have some great activities on for the whole family too.

Knole Park – National Trust – a beautiful National Trust venue, but if you just want to walk through the grounds and spot a few deer on route, you don’t need a National Trust voucher. Simply park in Sevenoaks and walk in!
Andrew’s Woods –we are lucky enough that Polhill centre backs onto these woods, the bluebells are now out in bloom and it’s a wonderful walk with the dog – definitely not to be missed.
Shoreham – is a lovely little town, you can walk alongside the River Darenth all the way to Lullingstone Park. On the walk you will go past the Lavender Farm too!

Walking can have such a positive impact on your mental health, getting outside, doing some exercise can truly clear your mind and get away from those pesky screens.

No Mow May!

No Mow May is an initiative set up by PlantLife to encourage gardeners around the country to put away their lawnmowers for the month of May. Not cutting your lawn will allow for habitats to form, wildflowers to grow which in turn will encourage more wildlife into your garden. However, don’t mow your lawn too short, this will damage the grass growth and kill the habitats in the grass. So, take it as you will.

MENTAL HEALTH WEEK
(9th-15th May)

Gardening can really help with your mental health, just like walking, being outside getting some fresh air. Did you know that soil releases the happy hormone serotonin!

Having an Outdoor Space that you love makes such a difference, not only to the planet but also for your mental health. Gardening and spending time outside really can relieve and distract from our very busy day to day lives. There’s no better feeling then being out in a beautiful garden that you’re proud of, so let’s get gardening.

Last year the RHS released research that revealed ‘those who garden every day have wellbeing scores 6.6% higher and stress levels 4.2% lower than people that don’t garden at all. * Doctors in Japan will prescribe ‘forest bathing’ to those who are suffering with their mental health. Forest bathing, purely meaning being in the presence of trees, is proven to lower heart rate and blood pressure, plus improving overall feelings of wellbeing.

There is no doubt that gardening can have many mental health benefits and we strongly encourage anyone of any age and ability to get gardening. Getting outside can make the world of difference to your mental and physical health, but make sure you don’t make it a chore or make it too difficult for yourself!

However, we also understand that gardening isn’t the cure, so if you do need support please do not keep quiet and reach out to your loved ones or there are so many great companies that you can reach out to, such as Mental Health UK – Forward Together (mentalhealth-uk.org), Home – Mind, Mental health – NHS (www.nhs.uk).

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is this month! We are very excited to be attending this year to see the theme of wildflowers, climate change and sustainable gardening.

On that note, here are your May Gardening Jobs…

GARDENING JOBS

FLOWERS:

Prune your Spring shrubs to keep them compact after flowering.
Once the last frost has happened make sure to plant your dahlia tubers, as well as summer bedding and tender annuals, including sunflowers and cosmos.
Tie supports to the new shoots of climbing plants, like clematis, wisteria, and honeysuckle.
You can now plant up your hanging baskets, but once you have done that make sure you keep them in a greenhouse or a porch for a few weeks to establish, before putting them outside.
Make sure to feed your tulips, daffodils, and other spring bulbs so they come back next year.
Check on the plants and discard any unwanted visitors.

FRUIT AND VEG:

Sweetcorn can be sown into deep pots, so the young plants are ready to transplant into the garden in June.
Peas can be sown in the warm weather.
Tender young plants such as tomatoes and courgettes can be hardened off, ready for planting out in mild areas.
Harvest your lettuces that you have planted back in April.
Consider buying pheromone traps to hang in apple and plum trees from May to July, ensuring the control of pests.
Keep fleece handy to protect young seedlings if late frosts occur.

GREENHOUSE:

As the weather starts to warm up, water thirsty crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and courgettes consistently.
Tie stems to supports of indoor veg
Check on the plants regularly and discard any unwanted visitors.
As daytime temperatures increase make sure to put up shading to lower the temperatures and reduce scorching.
Make sure to keep your greenhouse ventilated on warm days.
Repot houseplants that have become top heavy or put in larger containers.
You can now transplant tomatoes into grow bags or larger pots and tie their stems to a cane for support.

GARDEN MAINTENENCE:

Apply wood treatment to wooden garden furniture for Summer.
Keep your topiary trimmed to allow for bushy growth and to keep it neat.
Clean any bird feeders
Have an extra compost bin available to recycle more green waste from your kitchen and garden.
To keep your lawn looking luscious, apply a nitrogen-rich summer lawn feed to promote growth.