Pat’s 10 jobs for May 2026

1. At this time of year when the weather is warm early Dutch honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum) and Lonicera americana are a magnet for night-flying moths attracted by the spicy scent, so try growing one if you have the space.

2. If seedlings and cuttings are growing away well, put them outside during the day to harden off then bring them in at night if the weather is cold.

3. Iris are in spectacular full flower now, but be sure to keep their rhizomes free from weeds so they get baked by the sun which will aid flowering next year.

4. Dig up clumps of congested bulbs like daffodils and replant in smaller groups or singly to improve next year’s flowering.

5. Some plants are growing away fast like Phlox and Sedum / Hylotelephium so it’s time to do the Chelsea Chop. To extend flowering don’t cut all the shoots down but cut some by half. It will keep the flowering going, although the flowers on the cut stems may be a bit smaller.

6. Plant out Dahlias once they have made good growth in pots, either in large pots or in the ground with the tubers just below the surface. I decided to leave most of mine in the ground for winter but there’s not a sign of any of them!

7. Plants like Erysimum mutabile (perennial wallflower) and Limnanthes (poached egg plant) attract a wide array of pollinators like bees and butterflies and greatly add to diversity in the garden. Look out for cuttings of Erysimum on the plant sale table.

8. If early or winter sown chard is starting to bolt in hot weather, cut the stems right back and they’ll produce fresh leaves while you eat the cut stems.

9. Leave some stems on purple sprouting broccoli to flower as they are loved by bees and other pollinators.

10. I found a big toad in the garden today who was exhausted by the sun, so I put him back in a cool shady corner where he may hopefully eat some of the prolific slugs in my garden!.

Happy gardening all!

Pat K