May 2019 Gardening Notes

May Gardening Notes

Posted on: May 7, 2019

Welcome to the May Garden Club notes. Firstly we would like to wish all the Mothers out there a very Happy Mother’s Day. Our best wishes to you all and we hope you have a lovely day with family and friends.

Giving the gift of flowers and flowering plants is a lovely way to say thanks to your mum for her love and support through the year. Traditionally, Chrysanthemums are the plant most associated with Mother’s Day. They are available in a large range of colours and flower styles, and best of all, you can plant them out into the garden afterwards. Put them in a nice sunny spot, prune after flowering, feed regularly and you’ll have a beautiful, hardy flowering small shrub!

Another popular plant is the Cyclamen, which also come in a wide range of colours and styles. Best grown outside in a shaded, sheltered position they can be used for indoor colour and decoration too. Keep them in a well-lit spot, on a window sill with indirect sunlight is very good. Keep them moist making sure you water the soil not the plant and a little on the dry side is preferable. Another tip is to put the cyclamen outside at night or for a few days in a shady spot; this gives them a break from being in the generally warmer, drier air in our houses.

Instore now as well is a great range of Orchids, both Cymbidium and the ever popular “Moth Orchid” Both of these wonderful long flowering plants are a great gift or just to brighten up your own home. The on trend Jayda Pots are back in stock too, in both black and white and two sizes. They are a great buy and really compliment any of the plants from our extensive indoor plant range.

In the garden it’s still OK to get your winter veggies in the ground but don’t delay too long as the colder nights are really starting to chill the soil, meaning that plants take much longer to settle and will be very slow to grow. Seed potatoes are due any day now and are very easy to grow. Dig straight, shallow trenches about 50- 60cm feet apart in prepared soil. Plant seed potatoes 25cm apart and cover with about 5- 6cm soil. When the shoots reach 20-25cm tall, use a hoe or shovel to scoop soil from between rows and mound it against the plants, burying the stems halfway. They can also be grown in pots successfully so don’t worry if you don’t have spare ground.