May Gardening Tips

Best time for bluebells

The advantage of the cold spring has been a much longer display of daffodils and primroses. The brief spell of warmth in mid April has finally brought tulips into flower. There were very few ready for the show on 7th April.

BUT May is the month for bluebells, azaleas, apple blossom and all sorts of floral bounty.

30th April – 6th May is National Gardening Week

If the weather returns to normal, here are some jobs to do:

Kitchen garden
* Earth up potatoes when the foliage reaches 23cm/9in to prevent green tubers or, if frost is expected, cover smaller sprouts with soil for protection.
* Sow carrots, radishes, beetroot, lettuce and spring onions for successional harvesting.
* Harden off courgettes and squashes that were started under glass and protect with cloches or fleece if cold nights are forecast
* Hurrah! Start to harvest asparagus spears and rhubarb (don’t cut, pull)
* Direct sow French beans and sweet corn.
* Mulch strawberry plants with straw to keep the fruit clean, and feed fortnightly with tomato feed.

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Seed Offer

Dobies catalogue is available to members at the trading shed.

On production of your membership card, you will receive a catalogue containing an order form with a code you can use to get a discount on your order.

The more people use the code, the larger the discount can be. – up to 50%!