May is one of the most exciting months in the gardening calendar. Everything is growing fast, the risk of frost has largely passed, and the garden is full of potential.

Don't Rush to Plant Tender Annuals

It is tempting to get summer bedding plants in the ground as soon as the weather warms, but a late frost in early May can undo all your work overnight. Wait until mid-May in the Midlands before planting out tender annuals and vegetables.

Mulch While the Soil is Warm and Moist

May is the perfect time to mulch your borders. Apply a 5-8cm layer of bark chip or garden compost around your plants, keeping it away from stems. Mulching locks in soil moisture before summer heat arrives, suppresses weeds, and feeds the soil as it breaks down.

Get on Top of the Lawn

Start mowing regularly as growth picks up. Apply a spring/summer lawn fertiliser and treat bare or mossy patches. Overseeding in May gives new grass time to establish before the heat of July.

Feed Your Plants

Spring is hungry season. Roses, shrubs and perennials all benefit from a balanced fertiliser in May. For containers, switch to a liquid feed every week or two as nutrients wash through quickly in pots.

Watch for Pests

Aphids, slugs and vine weevils all become active in May. Check the undersides of leaves on roses and hostas regularly. Dealing with pests early is far easier than managing a full infestation in June.

Stake Before You Need To

Support tall perennials and dahlias now before they get too big. Use canes, ring stakes or twiggy pea sticks depending on the plant. Staking an already-toppling plant is much harder than installing supports early.

Quick May Wins

• Sow hardy annual seeds directly into borders for summer colour

• Divide congested clumps of spring bulbs once foliage has died back

• Trim straggly spring shrubs immediately after flowering

• Fill gaps in borders with plug plants from a garden centre

• Sharpen your tools so every job is easier and safer