Your Garden in MAY: Planting and Other Tasks in the Middle of Spring

It's already MAY, a month in the heart of spring, marked by high temperatures and a lack of rain in many parts of the peninsula. However, as the saying goes, "Ne'er cast a clout 'til May is out" (literally, "Don't take off your coat until May 40th"), we can't let our guard down, as the last spring frosts could still hit and damage crops in the coming months.

In this GARDEN WEB post, we focus on the sowing and other tasks you should carry out during this spring month.

What do we need to know about MAY to start cultivating our garden?

As we mentioned earlier, this month is mainly characterized by a general rise in temperatures and an increase in daylight hours, which is ideal for starting to plant crops that couldn't thrive during winter due to their high sensitivity to cold.

Another aspect we must consider when preparing our garden this month is the lack of rain we are experiencing in many areas of the country. It is important to keep this in mind, as we should consider, on the one hand, focusing more on sowing dryland crops (i.e., those that don't require intensive irrigation); and on the other hand, the possibility of installing a drip irrigation system that precisely and controlledly releases the water our plants need.

Finally, due to the temperatures, we will also see that pests that can damage crops begin to proliferate, so we must think about how to prevent these types of problems.

What to plant during MAY – Direct sowing and in seedbeds

During the month of May, we can continue planting crops that are suitable all year round , such as carrots, spinach, leeks, beets, and lettuce, among others. However, for the latter, it is important that you choose varieties more suitable for spring and summer.

For this specific month, we can sow directly in the garden crops such as strawberries, melons, watermelons, cucumbers, pumpkins, and beans. However, others will have to go through a seedbed first , such as onions, tomatoes, celery, and peppers. In addition, in May, we can also leave space in our garden for flowers and aromatic herbs such as basil, pansies, calendula, chamomile, oregano, and valerian, among others.

What tasks to do in the garden in MAY

In addition to the sowings we have indicated, we also recommend that you carry out the following tasks in the garden during this month:

Get bamboo stakes and stake your crops: we recommend these stakes because they are flexible, resistant, and economical. During this month, you will need to stake tomato plants, beans, and other crops such as cucumbers, pumpkins, melons, and watermelons with bamboo stakes. It is important to do this because these crops grow quickly, and staking them will save space in the garden as they will grow upwards.

Fertilize plants with fertilizer: if possible, it is advisable to use organic fertilizer as you will give your plants that boost without contaminating or damaging your garden soil. If not, we recommend choosing ranges such as Osmocote Exact , where the NPK granules are covered by an organic resin layer that helps respect the environment, as the fertilizer will begin to react and dissolve from the inside as the temperature increases.

Prune plants that need it: it's a good time to trim suckers from shrubs and prune hedges if you want to give them a specific shape. In addition, some climbing crops like tomatoes will need to be pruned in volume to ensure their flowering.

Buy bamboo stakes and other materials you need to sow your crops in the garden during the month of May

To sow many of the crops we have mentioned this month, it will be essential to have all the necessary materials for your garden. At GARDEN WEB, we have a wide variety of products for you to properly cultivate your plants.

Do you need any other product for your garden? Visit our online store and discover more than 1000 gardening products.