The warm weather means the garden is ahead of itself and gardeners even busier. Many favour the "Chelsea Chop" traditionally done at the end of May, (see link to May Calendar) and so named as it coincides with the famous Chelsea Flower show. 

"The Chop" is cutting back bushy herbaceous and perennial plants to make a sturdier plant which will flower later. You can cut some of the same plants back, and not others, to encourage staggered flowering, and even chop parts of the plant. There is every reason to do it earlier this year as plants are further through their growing cycle on account of the warm weather.

If you are growing on bedding plants under cover, a similar principle applies. I would recommend you pinch out the top growth and prevent them flowering. Firstly, save the plant's energy to start flowering in the greenhouse is nice but you want the long flowering season in the garden. By pinching out the top growth and the embryo flowers you will encourage the plant to be bushier and it will flower slightly later when in situ in the garden,

This is an ideal time to do this and whether chopping or pinching look for bushy perennials with multiple flower heads, Nepeta (cat mint) Sedums, Hardy geraniums, Asters are ideal but not suitable for this treatment are flowers with single flower heads such as Delphiniums, Peony, Clematis. Look for bushy plants and most bedding plants will benefit especially those with a tendency to go leggy as the seasons goes on such as verbena and petunia. 

May is a good time to plant out lettuce either small plants which are sold in the garden centres, or sow from seed directly where you want the lettuce to grow.

sow in a straight line so that when they germinate you can tell seeds from weeds, and thin out to prevent overcrowding. Pick the strongest seedlings and weed out the rest. Frost protection is needed, and a cloche is helpful to get the plants off to a good start. Water well because if the seedlings germinate and then are too dry, they will wither and die.

Beat the slugs

But, soon as the lettuce are there so are the slugs, nothing they like better than a dish of tender new lettuce and then can shred a row of lettuce overnight. Protect the new plants by any one of the favourite methods, organic pellets, grit, or beer traps. For more information on how to beat the slugs follow the link

We are always talking about the weather and none more so than gardeners. This amazing spring is great for growing, and the earth is so warm its like summer. Plants are getting ahead of themselves along with gardeners. In the veg plot broad beans are already flowering, these are a marvellous burgundy coloured variety which look and taste fab; already in flower could mean an early crop provided we don't get cold winds or frost, which would be problem. The warmth lulls a false sense of security and its tempting to plant out, the head says wait but the lovely gardening weather entices gardeners everywhere to plant early.

This weather could  produce a lovely long growing season and abundant flowers better than we have seen for the last few summers provided we don't get a late chill, fingers crossed.

Gardeners are nearly as obsessed as farmers by the weather and as a nation we are always talking about the weather. Its fascination stems from the unpredictable nature of our weather. We are currently enjoying an unseasonable hot dry sunny spell with temperatures touching the low 20C. We've had little rain and prolonged sun lulling us into a, possible false (time will tell,) sense of security and all manner of plants are going in the veg plot and growing fast. 

Lift a plant out of a pot and the soil is really warm; we could have a really good growing season. Stable though this warm spell has been, and very welcome, we cannot predict what the weather will be like this time next week, and that's the fascination. 

Easter weekend looks great for gardening but also for relaxing and enjoying the garden. 

G