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in THE GARDEN …
MAY
Earth Up Potatoes
May is the time to earth up your potato plants . There are a few good reasons to do this ! Firstly , it will protect the young shoots from any late frosts that might show up in May and it also protects the developing potatoes from receiving any light which would turn them green . Once the shoots have reached about six inches in height , you can begin earthing up , aim to leave a few inches of the plants showing through at the top and repeat the process every week or so until the mound is about a foot high . If your potatoes are in pots just add compost on top of them each week in the same fashion . Always remember that potatoes are very hungry and thirsty crops , so keep them well fed and watered throughout the season .
Time For Summer Bedding
If you haven ’ t already done so , May is the perfect month to buy and plant out your summer bedding plants . There is always a great selection at this time of the year . When planting containers and baskets , aim for a central ‘ thriller ’ such as a geranium , pelargonium or upright fuchsia , ‘ filler ’ plants in the middle such as osteospermum , memesia and bidens , and trailing ‘ spillers ’ around the edges such as calibrachoa , surfinia and lobelia . Use a high-quality , peat-free , multi-purpose compost and feed every week with liquid feed in the growing season for the best results . As with all bedding plants , it is crucial to deadhead regularly to make sure lots of fresh buds come through . If you keep up with this there is no reason why your summer bedding cannot still be flowering right into the autumn months
No Mow May
If you haven ’ t tried it before then give Plantlife ’ s No Mow May campaign a go ( plantlife . org . uk / campaigns / nomowmay ). Insect life in the UK is in more urgent need than ever for food and shelter . Over the last century , we have lost 97 % of naturally flowerrich meadows that are really important for insect life , especially bees and butterflies . Allowing your lawn to grow through May provides the perfect habitat for them ; you don ’ t need to do the whole lawn , just pick a smaller section . Other benefits of taking part include a lowering of pollution due to the extra grass cleaning our air - and carbon is locked away underground too .
Head to page 176 to find out more about the No Mow May initiative and its benefits .
Hardening Off
Plants that you have grown from seeds or cuttings will benefit from a ‘ hardening off ’ period . This involves placing them outside through the main part of the day when it ’ s warmest and then bringing them in overnight before gradually leaving them outside for the whole day after around two weeks . Always make sure that the risk of overnight frost has completely passed before placing them in their final positions or have some frost fleece handy to protect them if needed . Doing this greatly reduces the risk of your young plants suffering from shock due to a sudden change in temperatures which can stunt growth or cause them to die off entirely .
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174 • www . insidekent . co . uk