Before the heat of summer arrives, May offers the perfect window to carry out a series of targeted gardening jobs that set the stage for a thriving, beautiful landscape. By focusing on soil improvement, timely planting and transplanting, judicious pruning and training, vigilant pest and disease control, attentive greenhouse and container care, and finishing touches around the garden, you’ll ensure your outdoor space bursts into its full potential once summer arrives. Below, discover an engaging guide to ten must-do May tasks that will have your garden looking—and performing—its best come June.

Preparing Your Beds and Soil

Improving soil structure and fertility now pays dividends when summer crops demand nutrients.

● Earth up potatoes. Mounding soil around emerging potato shoots boosts tuber yields and helps prevent greening of tubers exposed to sunlight.

● Incorporate organic matter. Work well-rotted manure or compost into flower and vegetable beds to enhance drainage, aeration, and nutrient availability.

● Sow green manure. Plant broad beans or other cover-crop species; once they mature, dig them in as a nutrient-rich green manure to enrich next season’s beds.

Planting and Transplanting

May’s warming soil invites direct sowing of tender vegetables and the planting out of greenhouse-raised starts.

● Sow beans and peas. Direct-sow French and runner beans outdoors in warm soil, spacing seeds according to package instructions to ensure robust vines and abundant pods.

● Transplant tender annuals. Harden off and then plant out summer bedding—including sunflowers, cosmos, and nasturtiums—after the last expected frost to fill borders and containers with vibrant color.

● Stagger salad sowings. Sow batches of salad leaves and stir-fry greens every few weeks for ongoing harvests, ensuring continuous fresh produce throughout the season.

Pruning, Training, and Dividing

Shaping and supporting plants now helps direct energy into healthy growth and abundant flowering.

● Prune spring-flowering shrubs. Once forsythia and chaenomeles finish flowering, cut back spent blooms to maintain compact shape and encourage further branching.

● Tie in climbers. Secure new shoots of clematis, wisteria, and honeysuckle to their supports to guide growth and prevent damage in windy weather.

● Divide overcrowded perennials. Lift and split congested clumps of herbaceous perennials like hostas or astrantias to rejuvenate plants and increase stock for planting.

Greenhouse and Container Care

As temperatures rise, greenhouse and container plants need special attention to thrive.

● Water wisely. Keep greenhouse tomatoes, cucumbers, and courgettes evenly moist, watering at soil level to prevent fungal diseases.

● Ventilate and shade. Open vents on warm days to regulate temperature, and install shading cloth to prevent scorching of tender foliage.

● Take cuttings. Root cuttings of herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and hyssop in gritty compost to expand your herb collection and share with friends.

● Pot on seedlings. Prick out greenhouse seedlings at the first true-leaf stage to larger pots, avoiding overcrowding and reducing disease risk.

By tackling these ten essential tasks in May, you’ll lay the groundwork for a garden that not only survives but thrives under the summer sun. With fertile soil, well-established plantings, controlled pests and diseases, and thoughtful finishing touches, your outdoor haven will reward you with beauty and bounty all season long.