May, a pivotal month
With the milder temperatures, the rain, the longer days, the vegetation is waking up, the plants already in the ground are growing visibly and it is time to plant the others. Unfortunately, the month of May, especially in its first fortnight, can be a treacherous month!
Don’t forget the famous Ice Saints! We can, of course, wonder if climate change does not also have an effect on this benchmark, but it is better to be vigilant, especially in certain regions of France with a harsher climate where late frosts could be fatal to certain plants. It is therefore better to wait until they have passed, i.e. until after May 13. Conversely, in regions where the climate is milder, you can have fun and plant without fear.
Tasks to carry out in the vegetable garden in May
If you want to be able to harvest your vegetables within a few weeks and enjoy them, here is what you need to do in the vegetable garden in May:
- Prepare the structures: if you haven’t done it yet, this is the final stretch to prepare the structures that will support your different plantings and help them climb. For example, you can install stakes for tomatoes, trellises for climbing plants, etc.
- Plant in open ground: In May, you will be able to plant sunny vegetables such as zucchini, peppers, eggplants, melons, watermelons, etc. in the ground.
- Sow in open ground: you can sow aromatic plants, such as borage, oregano, parsley, purslane, etc., as well as medicinal plants such as hyssop, lavender, marjoram or peppermint. Likewise, you can sow orach, chard, carrots, various cabbages, turnips, parsnips, etc.
- Thin out the seedlings: in regions with a milder climate, seedlings that were made earlier should be thinned out. You must also hoe between the rows.
- Replicate: you can transplant cauliflowers and autumn cabbages.
- Protect : don’t forget that the month of May can be treacherous. Monitor the weather and protect your tomatoes if low nighttime temperatures are forecast.
- To harvest : the radish and asparagus harvest is in full swing. Consider sowing radishes every 10 days to spread out the harvest over time.
Tasks to carry out in the greenhouse in May
Here too different tasks await you
- Ventilate the greenhouse: Don’t forget to do this when the sun is shining, as the temperature inside your greenhouse could rise very quickly.
- Take out chilly plants: If you haven’t already done so, you can start taking out the plants you overwintered in your greenhouse. At first, it may be helpful to bring them in in the evening to allow them to acclimatize gently.
- Continue your sowing: you can take advantage of the heat of your greenhouse to continue your sowing and, thus, benefit from a staggered harvest. Furthermore, you can still sow celery, melons, squash and cucumbers.
- Take cuttings.
Tasks to carry out in the orchard in May
By the end of the month, you will probably be able to start enjoying the first cherries and strawberries, but in the meantime, a few tasks await you:
- Eliminate weeds: As vegetation tends to grow quickly, take the trouble to carefully eliminate weeds that develop at the foot of fruit trees or small fruits.
- Protect : you can install mulch at the base of your trees, strawberries and small fruits to limit weeding tasks, but also to allow them to benefit from a little more humidity. Likewise, if you did not do so at the time of planting, you can dig a basin at the foot of the young trees.
- Lighten : On fruit trees, such as apple trees, pear trees and peach trees, some branches of which bear too much fruit in formation, it is time to eliminate some of them to allow the others to develop better.
- To treat : monitor the possible appearance of pests to act quickly. Watch out for downy mildew and powdery mildew which are to be feared in this month. Do not hesitate to treat preventively with Bordeaux mixture.
- Plant: you can still plant small fruit trees such as raspberries, strawberries, gooseberries, etc.
- Training: you can train the vines or fruit trees into espaliers.
- Graft: the month of May is suitable for transplanting certain fruit trees.
Tasks to carry out in the ornamental garden in May
In the ornamental garden too, many tasks can be carried out.
- To clean : you can clean your beds, weed them and take the opportunity to add mulch in anticipation of warmer days.
- Prune : When your lilac and other early flowering shrubs have finished flowering, it will be time to carry out their annual pruning. You can also remove lilac and hazel suckers, as well as suckers from your rose bushes.
- Plant : at the beginning of spring, you can plant perennials, but especially annuals such as cosmos, marigolds, zinnias, sunflowers, as well as edible flowers such as amaranths, nasturtiums, certain chrysanthemums, marigolds . Now is also the time to plant summer bulbs.
- Cutting : in May, you can take cuttings of hydrangea, perennial flax, aubrieta, lilac, etc.
- Sow : you can still sow nasturtiums, nigellas, clarkias, etc.
- Create planters : to decorate your terrace, your balcony, give free rein to your creative spirit to compose planters with pelargoniums, agapanthus, etc.
- Take out overwintered plants : you can start taking out the plants that you had put away when the bad weather arrives. Do this gradually, being wary of nighttime temperatures.
- Mow: That’s it, your mower is back in service! To promote biodiversity, try to leave a little time between mowing. Late mowing benefits ecosystems and wildlife will be able to benefit from the flowers present on your land.