In the garden: May

Back by popular demand - our reminders of what to do in the garden this season.

Have a look at these ideas for May

Justicia, or Brazilian Plume Flower. Photo - Robin Powell

Take cuttings of the Brazilian plume flower, Justicia carnea. You’ll get best success with a piece with three leaf nodes. Insert into moist potting mix, or if your garden beds are moist and rich with organic matter, plant them straight into the soil where you want them to grow.

Stop watering succulents as growth slows to prevent them rotting.

Order crowns of rhubarb. Grow 2-3 rhubarb crowns for each rhubarb-lover you want to feed.

Chill tulips and hyacinth bulbs in the crisper before planting them out early next month.

Admire angels wings begonias growing in the garden - and propagate some for friends. Cut a stem on an angle, trim off lower leaves, and cut the top leaf into a wedge. Insert carefully into a container of moist potting mix and firm gentlyWater when the mix dries out. Alternatively strike your begonia cutting in a jar of water.

Spread the last of summer’s compost wherever the garden needs extra care.

Tradition says that onions should be planted on the longest day of the year. Get in early by sowing seed now to plant out in winter and harvest before Christmas.

Plant flowering herbs to keep the bees fed through the cooler months. Sweet white alyssum is a favourite. Lobularia ‘Snow Princess’ is a new variety with masses of flower. She likes some extra water and will flower on and on unless hit by successive hard frosts. Good in containers and garden beds.