May is the month that completes the transition from the balmy days of autumn to the cold of winter. Many plants relish this change of season..
Below is a video of the:
Christchurch Botanical Gardens and River Avon
TIP: If the video is slow to play, mute the sound, read the text on this page first & by then, the video should be loaded.
Flowers to sow in May - Paper daisies
Sow seeds of Yates pink paper daisies now and, before you know it, you'll have a meadow of soft pink flowers. Because they're Australian natives, paper daisies are hardy, heat tolerant and make long-lasting cut flowers. Best of all they can be sown right where they're to grow, which saves fiddly transplanting.
Vegies to sow in May - Broad beans
Broad beans grow easily from seed but there are three special things you should remember about these cool season vegies: 1. The pods of broad beans won't develop until the weather starts to warm up in spring. 2. Pods should be picked when they're young and tender - don't let them get old and tough. 3. After harvest, dig the nitrogen-rich plants in to improve the soil.
Feed in May
Finish planting spring bulbs this month and look out in the shops for bulbs of some of the later- blooming varieties such as liliums and callas. Dig bulb food or Dynamic Lifter pellets into the soil before planting. Debate always rages about the wisdom of feeding bulbs at planting time, with many people saying that the bulb can get by on the goodness stored up from the previous year. But if you're planning future performances, any added goodness will help get the bulb into top shape for next year's blooming.
Prune in May
This month provides you with a great opportunity to tidy up the garden before winter arrives. Cut back anything that's dead or messy-looking. Prune sasanqua camellias and gordonias after flowering.
Pest watch in May
Grub-like sawflies are often found munching on native plants in May. Steel blue sawflies form repulsive, tail-waving clumps on eucalypts, while other sawflies (which are distinguished by their pointy rear ends) attack bottlebrushes (Callistemon spp) and tea-trees. Small infestations can be removed by (gloved) hand, but more serious sawfly problems will need to be sprayed with Baythroid low toxic synthetic pyrethroid.
Garden job file
May is moving month. Many of the smaller shrubs (such as azaleas, hebes and gardenias) can be transplanted this month. It's a good time, too, to move conifers because they'll have time to settle into their new homes before the cold winter arrives. Prepare the soil well in the new spot and spray the plant with Stressguard before lifting it out of the ground. Stressguard's an anti-transpirant that reduces water loss from the plant. Spread or sprinkle a soil wetter over the root area once the plant's in its new place.
