Top tasks for May - May can be a seductive month with longer days, higher temperatures and hopefully enough warm sunshine. Its the month to begin planting and sowing outdoors in earnest, however only transplant tender seedlings when the last chance of frost has gone. harden off any plants grown indoors before planting out and be aware of the possibility of a night time attack from slugs.

Move seedlings grown under cover outdoors in the daytime to enable them to adjust to outside temperartures

Earth up rows of potato plants to ensure tubers underground are not exposed to light

Cover strawberry plants with cloches overnight for an early crop. remove cloches during the day

Sow outdoors if the weather is mild

Protect tender plants against sudden frosts, keep an eye on the weather forecast and be ready with cloches and fleece

Weed regularly and thoroughly and keep young plants well watered

Net fruit bushes to protect them from birds

Sow or plant in May

Brussels sprouts, summer, autumn and red cabbage plants and cauliflowers - all these plants grow quite large therefore space out well across the plot, don’t crowd them

Celery - begin planting out this month

Courgettes, marrows, pumpkins and squashes - plant out in soil that has been enriched with plenty of organic matter.

Globe artichokes - this month is your last chance for propagating artichokes by dividing and taking offsets from established plants

Leeks - May is normally the first month to start transplanting out leek plants

Sweetcorn - start planting out, plant in blocks