What to do in the garden in May

Harden off your half-hardy bedding plants by leaving them outside for the day and bringing them under cover at night. Do this for 7-10 days before planting out into beds, containers and hanging baskets.

Start to feed your container plants with a balanced fertiliser and continue every two to four weeks throughout the summer. Alternatively use a slow-release fertiliser.

Prune your Penstemons now by cutting back to the lowest pair of leaves. Give your Penstemon a feed with a slow-release fertiliser to help boost new growth and flowers this summer.

Prune winter and spring-flowering Clematis such as 'Winter Beauty' and Clematis armandii now if they're out-growing their supports.

Prune spring-flowering shrubs such as Honeysuckle 'Winter Beauty' and Forsythia after flowering has finished.

Give your evergreen hedges a trim now whilst they are in active growth. Box, Privet and Yew can be trimmed twice each year during the growing season.

Now is the ideal time to give Lavender plants a trim to encourage bushiness. Clip about 2.5cm (1 inch) off the current year's growth.

Put netting around your strawberry plants, raspberry canes and other soft fruit bushes to prevent birds from eating your crop.

Keep any new fruit trees well watered in hot weather. Remove any blossom or fruits during the first year to focus the plant's energy on growing roots.

Earth up your potatoes now. If you're using potato grow bags just top up the bag with more compost. To find out more about earthing up and growing potatoes in general, read our 'How to grow potatoes' article.