Gardening tips for May

 

Everything is new in May – this old saying applies especially to our gardens. After the Ice Saints (mid-May), hobby gardeners can finally really get started. Planting tomatoes and summer flowers, sowing cucumbers, and more: May is a busy month for the garden!

Contents

1. Gardening Checklist for May
2. Planting tomatoes outdoors
3. Sowing cucumbers and pickling cucumbers
4. Transplanting pumpkins into the garden bed
5. Planting summer flowers
6. Lawn care – for lush green grass in summer

Gardening Checklist in May

• Tomato plants go outdoors
• Sow cucumber seeds in the garden bed
• Plant pumpkins outdoors
• Plant summer flowers
• Aerate and care for the lawn

Tomatoes can now be planted in the garden bed – but remember to Plant supports! Image source: stock.adobe.com

Planting tomatoes outdoors

Tomatoes are a classic in any colorful vegetable garden. The seedlings can finally be moved outdoors from mid-May onwards. Whether in a ground bed or a raised bed, tomato plants benefit from being planted as deep as possible and then watered close to the root area. Tomatoes are heavy feeders and practically always need nutrients. Fertilize them regularly, ideally with a special tomato fertilizer – this helps the fruit skin develop a nice, thick, and sturdy skin.

In any case, use plant supports to which you can tie the tomato plants.

You can find particularly attractive and weatherproof metal trellis for climbing plants in our ELEO Garden Shop ➤ to plant supports. Without support, tomatoes risk falling over or bending during the summer. Brown rot and late blight are more likely to develop if the fruit rests on the ground.

Sowing Cucumbers and Pickles

Cucumbers and pickles can be sown directly outdoors from mid-May onwards – both in traditional garden beds and raised beds. It is important to wait until after the last frost date, as cucumber plants are very sensitive to cold. To give the plants a head start, you can soak the seeds in water for 24 hours before sowing. This promotes germination.

Important: Cucumbers like to grow tall and need a trellis or other support to prevent the fruit from lying on the ground, which encourages disease. You can find sturdy metal trellises, for example, in our shop ➤ to the trellises.

Pre-grown pumpkin plants can now be planted outdoors. Caution: Pumpkins are vigorous vines and need support! Image source: unsplash.com, Jason Mitrione

Transplanting pumpkins into the garden bed

Pre-grown pumpkin plants can also be moved into the garden bed from mid-May onwards. Attention: Pumpkins are vigorous climbers, so be sure to provide a trellis or trellis! A layer of bark mulch will protect the pumpkin from drying out. Pumpkin plants generally benefit from regular fertilization.

Reading tip: We have explained how to properly plant pumpkins in a raised bed in a separate blog article.

Planting summer flowers

When there is no longer any risk of frost in May, it's time to plant summer flowers.

Annual flowering plants are generally referred to as summer flowers, although there are also perennial varieties. These can now be planted in balcony boxes and planters – enchanting us with beautiful blossoms and vibrant colors. It is important that you pay attention to the specific growing conditions of the summer flowers when purchasing them. Popular choices for sunny locations include: Spanish Daisy (Erigeron karvinskianus) Calendula (Calendula officinalis) Schizanthus x wisetonensis Snapdragon (Antirrhinum) Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) For partial shade, the following are suitable: Busy Lizzie (Impatiens walleriana) Coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides) Incense (Boswellia) Lobelia (Lobelia erinus) Person working the lawn with a garden fork Image source: pixabay.com, Eugene_Brennan

Lawn Care – For Lush Green in Summer

Do you dream of a well-maintained, lush lawn? Then May is the ideal time for lawn care. First, rake the area to remove any weeds. Next, use a garden fork to loosen any compacted soil. To do this, pierce the soil with the fork, creating a pattern of holes that allows water to penetrate the root zone more easily. Excess water can then drain away more readily thanks to the improved aeration. Finally, if necessary, reseed the lawn (if it's too sparse) and apply fertilizer.