Queer things happen in the garden in May. Little faces forgotten appear, and plants thought to be dead suddenly wave a green hand to confound you. ~ W. E . Johns

Allotment Month Planner - May

General

Weeding by hoe to discourage slugs
Cut comfrey to make up a comfrey tea - you will need it soon

Potato Family

Finish sowing potatoes
Continue earthing up potatoes
Tomatoes should be re-potted; or even, if they are big enough, for hardening off and planting out

Legumes

Support main-crop peas and broad beans
Sow more peas
Sow French and Runner Beans - through to July. Sow French and Runner beans in drills. Thin seedlings of dwarf French beans to 3in (8cm) and climbing French & Runner beans to 4-5in apart.

Brassicas

Thin Brassica seedlings; they may be tall enough to transplant this month. If transplanting, water the plants well the day before.
Sow Kale, Broccoli, Kohl Rabi, Savoy and Winter Cabbage - as March/April brassicas in protected seed bed
Thin swedes and turnips
Harvesting - last of Broccoli, Spring Cabbages and Kale; Radishes, Rocket

Onions

Still not too late to sow leeks
Leeks can also be transplanted now. Dro[ them into a hole made with a dibber about 4in deep (10cm) and fill the hole with water. Space them about 4in apart in rows 12in apart.

Roots

Thin Carrots (if necessary) and Parsnips. Do not allow to dry out
Clean out carrots showing signs of carrot root fly
Sow Salsify and Scorzonera

Other Vegetables

Thin Beetroot, Chard and Spinach. Do not allow to dry out
Sow Cucumbers and Squashes (week 4, or early June) in prepared beds - or earlier under cloches
Harden off and plant out sweetcorn sown indoors; sow sweetcorn direct in bed (week 4)
Harvesting - Asparagus

Herbs

Most herbs can be sown now direct - but sow Basil inside or under cover
Basil can be hardened off and planted outside

Fruit

Protect strawberries with mulch
Weed rasberry canes and fruit bushes
Harvesting - Rhubarb

Earthing Up

Potatoes can be 'earthed up' as they grow, bringing soil up around the shoots. This helps control weeds, prevents the tubers turning green and gives some protection against tuber blight. Do it first when plants are around 15cm (6in) tall, leaving a couple of inches of foliage showing. Earth up again just before the foliage meets across the rows. On a closer spacing, earthing up will not be possible, but the plants will shade themselves anyway.

Alternatively, the plants can be mulched with a thick layer of hay, straw, leaf-mould or grass mowings. This will have the added benefit of conserving moisture.

Worth a Read!

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