Gardening

On the Lawn
Add grass clippings to the compost heap in thin layers. Apply a high nitrogen summer lawn fertiliser to encourage a healthy-looking lawn. If necessary, feed the lawn in spring or summer with slow-release organic fertilisers. Avoid overfeeding as this causes lush growth that's prone to disease.

Sowing new lawns or over-seeding dead patches can still be carried out early this month. 

Prepare the ground for sowing, by cultivating, levelling and lightly firming beforehand. Do not walk over or mow newly sown grass. Ensure new lawns (either from turf or seed) do not dry out during dry spells. Keep off them for as long as possible to allow establishment.

In the Vegetable and Fruit Garden
Even though the temperature is getting warmer this month watch out for late frosts, this can cause damage to tender plants. Earth up potatoes, and promptly plant any still remaining.

Mulching fruit crops will help them to retain moisture around the roots therefore you will use less water.

Pull out raspberry suckers appearing between rows. Very vigorous cane fruit plants may also need some selective cane removal. Net soft fruits to protect them from birds as they begin to ripen. Plant out seedlings of alpine strawberries.

Control weeds to prevent them competing for moisture, light and nutrients.

French beans are best sown in traditional rows at 15-22cm (6-9in) spacing.  It is still possible to sow vegetables indoors, especially in colder regions. This will shorten the growing time needed to reach maturity and harvest.

Earth up potatoes.  You can also grow potatoes in containers. Strings stretched along the tops of broad bean plants can support them.  Peas need staking with pea sticks, netting, or pruned twigs from the garden.

Bulbs and Herbaceous Plants
Lift and divide overcrowded clumps of daffodils and other spring-flowering bulbs.



The Shrub Border
Regularly hoe off weeds.  Check for nesting birds before clipping hedges. Watch out for Viburnum beetle grubs.  
                                                                  
In the Glasshouse and Conservatory
Open greenhouse vents and doors on warm days. Hydrangeas and fuchsias can be propagated from softwood stem tip cuttings.
Pot on any Begonia, Gloxinia and Achimenes plants that you started off earlier in smaller pots.

Don’t forget to give glasshouse plants more space as they put on new growth. This will help to prevent disease, and to contain early pest infestations.

Damp down the floor of the glasshouse regularly on hot days, to increase humidity levels.  Take softwood cuttings of deciduous shrubs, including Forsythia, Fuchsia, Hydrangea macrophylla, Philadelphus and Spiraea.

Ponds
Divide and plant waterlilies if not done last month. Continue to plant up bog gardens. Tidy up plants in the bog garden. If not done last month, feed large aquatic plants by inserting slow-release fertiliser tablets well below soil level around the base of the plant.

Roses
Dead head, remove weeds, water during dry spells.  Check roses for signs of black-spot, aphids and leaf-rolling sawfly damage, treat if required.

Flower border/Patio area
Plant out summer bedding at the end of the month (except in cold areas) Regularly hoe off weeds.

The Compost Heap
Turn/moisten compost heap/bin.  Compost all green waste. 

Recycling
Paper, Cardboard, Glass Bottles and Jars, Plastic, all Green Waste including Vegetable peelings.
There are many recycling points throughout Glasgow where clothes, shoes, furniture, rubble, electrical goods etc can be disposed of without charge.
 
Use recycled products/materials where possible.

Collect rainwater and investigate ways to recycle water for irrigation.
Be water wise, especially during long dry spells.