Colin, Gillian and staff would like to welcome you to Nurseries Direct.
Ayrshire’s largest independent garden centre. We pride ourselves in offering quality plants, garden essentials, furniture and gifts at competitive prices.
Brassica crops (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli etc), root crops (beetroot, carrots, turnips etc), trans-plant vegetable plants ( summer cabbage, celery and leeks) can now be sown outdoors in well prepared beds.
To prepare beds for Root, trans-plant and Brassica crops firstly, apply Growmore fertiliser at a rate of 135g per square metre and Garden Lime at a rate of 10g per square metre. Dig this through the soil with a digging fork breaking up the soil as you go. Next rake the soil down to a fine tilth - you are now ready to plant. (Use a string line or board to act as a guide for straight lines)
Sweetcorn, courgettes and marrows etc can now be grown under glass or a protected cover.
Tomato plants should be growing well in the greenhouse this month. Keep training them up a wire line or cane ensuring that side shoots are removed as they grow. Don't start feeding the plants until the first fruits appear and are approx pea size.
During dry spells keep the vegetable plot well watered. Liquid feed such as Tomorite can be applied now.
Protect cabbages against root fly with cabbage collars. As your vegetable plants mature treat with a Friuit & Veg disease control such as Bayer Fruit & Veg Disease Control - remember prevention is better than cure!
Fruit bushes will now be setting fruit so beware of birds and rabbits. Invest in a fruit cage and reep the rewards! A new product line this year are Pop Up fruit cages that can be erected for the season then easily taken down and stored for the winter.
In the garden...May
Deadhead Spring flowering bulbs and let the foliage grow until it yellows. Remove leaves once the foliage comes away easily in your hand.
Continue to deadhead Spring bedding such as Pansies and Violas. Summer Bedding can be planted out in beds, tubs and baskets but remember to protect from late frosts.
Now is the time to give everything a good feed. This will give a good boost to the start of the growing season. Use products such as Miracle Gro or Phostrogen.
Put support for the tall perennials in place.
Keep the flower and shrub beds well watered in dry weather. Watch out for dry windy days as they can be more drying than in hot calm weather.
This is the time to feed lawns. Use products such as Aftercut or Cut & Feed after mowing to keep lawns green and healthy and this will inturn lessen weed growth.
Weeds will grow strongly now so keep them at bay with herbicides and frequent weeding. Use bark to suppress weeds in beds and borders.
Plants to enjoy...May
Clematis montana Rubins
This plant is a vigerous climber. In May the buds will open to give a beautiful mass of pink blooms.
Ceanothus (California lilac)
The Ceanothus is showing a mass of buds in shades of blue and white at the moment. These plants are great for seaside gardens as they will tolerate sandy soil and sea breezes.
Rhododendron
Most of the hybrid varieties are in bud or flower in May and give a riot of colour this month.
Wisteria Senensis
This plant is a very beautiful climber with long racemes of flowers in lilac, pink and white. They can climb to a height of 30ft or can be controlled to a preferred height.
Spirea magic carpet
This plant will be showing new growth this month. The young leaves are reddish in colour which will turn to bright yellow and gold. This is then followed by red flowers.
Callistemon Leavis (bottlebrush plant)
These plants are currently covered in buds, which will open to produce a long red bottlebrush shaped flower. A beautiful plant for a sheltered position.
Hebe Pingulfolia Pagei
An evergreen shrub that has silvery grey foliage with masses of pure white flower. This is a very good ground shrub for ground cover.
