May is the perfect time to get your garden ready for summer and there’s one job you’ll need to get as soon as possible. BBC Gardener’s World has revealed a checklist of all the essential gardening jobs that households should complete before the end of the month.
It says one must-do job is to “plant up hanging baskets, but keep them in a greenhouse or porch for a few weeks to establish, before putting them outside”. By doing this, you’ll give your plants the best chance of survival and your garden blooms will be looking bright and healthy all summer long.
RHS says traditional summer hanging baskets are a great way to add colour to your walls and buildings.
Winter bedding, or less traditional plantings of herbs, salad, fruit or succulents, can also look good and help you make the most of vertical space in your garden, it adds.
Gardeners usually begin planting hanging baskets from late April onwards, but they will need protection from frosts until late May or early June.
RHS says: “If you do not have a greenhouse, it is usually easier to plant your basket once the risk of frost has passed.”
When you’re assembling your baskets, you should make sure that you’ve cut holes in the plastic liner to allow easy drainage.
Some baskets come ready-lined, or you can easily make a liner yourself using an old compost bag.
Once you hang them up outside, you should check baskets every day in summer, watering unless the compost is already moist.
“Drying out is an increasing risk as the plants grow and days remain warm or windy,” RHS warns.
To check if the baskets need water, you should gently lift or nudge them to gauge how heavy they are. If they are really light, you should water them.
Watering is key to the success of your baskets so making sure you get the aftercare right once your baskets are put together will help them to last longer. Hanging baskets can brighten your garden and add colour to your outdoor space.
But ensuring your flowers stay looking their best this summer will be much easier by following these simple steps.
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