Plant bulbs and corms of summer flowering plants, such as Gladiolus, Eucomis and Galtonia Candicans. Plant at a depth of a garden trowel.
Sow vegetable seeds directly into a prepared seed bed, such as beetroot, carrots, perpetual spinach, peas and spring onions.
Prune hardy Fuchsia to promote new growth for flowering later this summer and stop them getting woody. Prune hardy Fuchsias back to emerging healthy buds at the base of the plant.
Sow sweet peas outdoors and plant out autumn-sown plants once they have hardened off. Pinch off shoot tips of autumn sown plants once they reach 7.5 – 10 cm to encourage them to branch out.
Ensure variant stem colour for next winter by pruning back Cornus and Salix hard now. Cut to just above the previous years growth or 5 – 10 cm above the ground.
After flowering, prune shrubs such as Forsythia and Ribes. Cut back the flowered stems to strong new growth, keeping an evenly spaced framework of branches with an open centre.
Towards the end of the month direct sow the following colourful summer annuals like Cosmos, Nigella (Love in the Mist) and Calendulas.
Prune figs by removing weak damaged or crossing branches to a 2.5 cm stub. Cut bare long branches to 5 cm to encourage branching but leave branches with pea sized fruits at the tips to mature.
Once leaf buds open, start formative pruning of plum and cherry trees.
Now that the risk of severe cold is over, prune Penstemons. Make the cuts just above fresh new shoots, either at the base or along the stems.