News
5 May, 2024
Backyard Wildlife with Brownie
May is my favourite month to be in the garden. The weather is kinder and there’s so much of interest going on.
May is my favourite month to be in the garden. The weather is kinder and there’s so much of interest going on. Don’t forget Mother’s Day is just around the corner – and garden plants, tools or clothing make for a lovely way to show your appreciation to her … or you can be more hands on and make her a garden bed of lovely flowers.
• If you have had spring flowering seedlings which haven’t survived the flooding rains, it’s not too late to plant Iceland poppies, pansies or snapdragons to fill in the gaps.
• Grass growth will be starting to slow down now but weeds still grow. Keep on top of weeds, especially bindi-eye, clover and tropical chickweed.
• Bare rooted roses will be in stores now but don’t rush in and buy, as the optimum time is the end of next month.
• Gingers and heliconias that have finished flowering – such as parrots beak heliconia – can be cut back now, leaving the new growth for next seasons flowering display.
• Apply a light dusting of lime to bare veggie beds. Don’t apply fertiliser at the same time as the lime reacts with the nitrogen creating ammonia gas.
• Plant leafy coriander plants now. The cooler temperatures will stop them bolting to seed.
• Cannas and chrysanthemums can be cut back as soon as they’ve finished flowering.
• Your strawberry plants should be coming on well now. Apply a little pelletised manure and use fish and seaweed solutions regularly over the plants to keep them in good health. It’s not too late to put some in if you haven’t yet.
• Dahlias that are dying back should be trimmed off and those that have not yet started to die back can be trimmed to half their height. They’ll need to be lifted out of the ground next month (June).
• If you’ve planted broad beans, pinch out their tips to encourage more flowers to form.
• Lawns shaded from the morning sun may develop Dollar Spot disease. You’ll notice small circular dead patch which rapidly spread. You can spray with a lawn and garden fungicide, but if you just keep the water up to your lawn it will soon disappear.
• Plant new citrus trees this month and next. Always remove any fruit before planting, or better still select trees without fruit for more vigour. Do not fertilise young trees until 3-4 months after planting.
