What to plant in May
April's been a good month for planting, but May's where it's at for summer planting preparation. We've already gone through May's gardening jobs, but here we're going to go into a bit more detail about what you need to get into the ground this month.
Flowers
Zinnia, Candytuft and Nigella.
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Summer heat
Nasturtiums, snapdragons and Californian poppies
Cooler days
Annual and Perennial Verbenas, and Cosmos
Summertime blues
Scabiosa, Nigella and Cornflowers
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Vegetables
Peas, colourful carrots and cabbage
Brassicas
Broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts
Root vegetables
It's a mixture of strong colours and whites in May root vegetables, leaning towards the sweeter side of things. Think 'roastable' and 'salads'. Beetroots are a great source of fiber and finger-staining colour, preferring a bit of shade as they grow before harvesting June to December. Carrots are either good for your eyes or part of an urban myth relating to radar, but either way you plant them in full sun and harvest all the way up to October. For parsnips, keep them in the sun but earth up the crown if it appears above the soil, and for turnips put them in the sun and harvest after a month. For swedes, do pretty much exactly the same as turnips, but don't confuse the two or your scottish friends will never forgive you. #NeepsAreSwedesRummage through all root vegetables
Herbs
Prep your herb garden in May to pack your summer with flavour. To remember which ones to plant, here's a rhyme: It's time for chives to thrive, Get ready for a coriander wonder. Prepare a parsley party ... Dill's here too Dill likes to grow further apart that other herbs (30cm or so), while the others can go in a pot in sun or partial shade. Rule of thumb for harvesting is pretty much the same as the brassicas - when you like how they look, have at it. And just eat the leaves, not any flowers - dill can get a bit floral.Other
Radish, rainbow chard and spring onion
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A top tip for May
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