YOUR GARDENING YEAR

What to do in the garden in May

The key May jobs for your veg patch, fruit, lawns, borders and greenhouse — tick them off or print a sheet to take outside.

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One page, ready to take outside

A few timely jobs to help your garden thrive through the season.

Harden off tender plants before planting out.Sow runner beans and French beans.

Watch for gooseberry sawfly larvae and remove.Mulch strawberries with straw to keep fruit clean.

Participate in 'No Mow May' for pollinators.Prune spring-flowering shrubs after they finish blooming.

Set up shading to prevent plants from scorching.Water at the roots and ventilate to avoid damp, stagnant air.

RHS Malvern Spring Festival MayShow gardens and nurseries beneath the Malvern Hills.
RHS Chelsea Flower Show Late MayThe famous show at the Royal Hospital Chelsea.
No Mow May All MayPlantlife asks us to leave the mower in the greenhouse for wildlife.

Dates change each year — please check with the organiser before you travel.

May in the garden

A month-by-month guide from The Gardener’s Greenhouse

2026 · Garden: ____________________

Harden off tender plants before planting out.

Sow runner beans and French beans.

Watch for gooseberry sawfly larvae and remove.

Mulch strawberries with straw to keep fruit clean.

Participate in 'No Mow May' for pollinators.

Prune spring-flowering shrubs after they finish blooming.

Set up shading to prevent plants from scorching.

Water at the roots and ventilate to avoid damp, stagnant air.

Notes:

Tick each box as you go — and take things at your own pace.

Little jobs. Lovely rewards.

Follow local frost forecasts; northern gardens often start spring jobs later. Avoid frozen or waterlogged soil and take regular breaks.

Got a question about May jobs? Ask in the forum.