What You Need to Be Planting for the Summer Season
The smell of freshly cut grass and the sight of yellow daffodils intercepting the green blades signals that spring is finally here. While we begin to enjoy the warmer weather, longer days and brighter sun, we will start thinking ahead to summer – which as a gardener is vital. To ensure our gardens are as alive and colourful as possible we must always be planting ahead, ready for the next season.
Plus, start preparing now and you will be able to enjoy the beautiful space you have created as soon as the weather allows you to do so.
Here is what you need to be planting now:
April
This month your garden soil will finally be warming up and April is the best time for most of your vegetable seeds.
Have you been saying for years that you fancy growing your own vegetables?
If you have then why not make this the year that you actually do it? Not only will you be able to get your 5-a-day by simply stepping out into your garden, you will also save on your weekly shopping bill.
A few you might want to consider this month are: beans, carrots, cucumber, lettuce, melons, peas, peppers and tomatoes. Take a look at the Bakker website where you will find all the seeds you need as well as plenty of inspiration.
If you haven’t already, order your summer flowering bulbs and seeds, such as: allium, begonia, fressia and bearded iris. Plants such as lilies and gladiolus can be planted now ready to bloom in time for summer.
May
This month we can stop worrying about frost because the warmer temperatures are here to stay for the next few months. So, you can now plant your half-hardy annuals.
Start sowing: biennials, canterbury bells, foxgloves, wallflowers and sweet williams.
You also want to start thinking about how you will attract wildlife to your garden – direct sow poppies, cornflowers and scabious – which will all attract bees and butterflies.
You could also direct sow godetias, candytuft, and linaria for some easy but vibrant colour.
Now is also the time to sow sunflowers if you fancy a few of these easy-to-grow but eye-catching flowers in your garden.
Finally, this month you can always add to your vegetable patch with the likes of broccoli, spring onion, spinach, herbs such as chives, coriander, dill and parsley as well as turnips and swede.
Alongside this, tall growing herbaceous plants should be stalked and bedding plants should be moved to frames. Mow your lawn regularly in different directions and if it is dry make sure you water any newly turfed and seeded areas. As well as planting new ones, now is also the time to move around any shrubs that may not be working in their current area.
Hopefully, come June, your garden will burst into life. All you need to do now is complete the planting of bedding and half-hardy plants and fill gaps in the flower borders with quick-growing annuals.
