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Undercover

The beginning of May is a busy time for the under cover gardener. The weather is warm and all those tender plants are bursting out of their pots. By the end of the month most of them will be in their final planting positions, but before that there is the major issue of deciding if the last frost is passed, or if there is a cold snap waiting just around the corner

Hot tip for the month

Tomato plants produce their first flowers in May, but there can be problems in getting these earliest flowers to set fruit. Later trusses set without a problem, but the first ones can need a little help.

This doesn’t mean you have to go round with a paintbrush, since the flowers will self-pollinate, but you may have to provide the best conditions. Mist plants overhead with a fine spray of water in the morning and again in the evening.

This ensures the pollen is just slightly damp, rather than saturated, and most likely to set fruit. You don’t need to do this for second and subsequent trusses, but the first ones always benefit from a helping hand.

Strawberries

There should be plenty of ripe fruit this month but a lot depends on the amount of sun. If May is hot and dry, then berries will ripen earlier than if the month is dull and grey.

Pick fruit as it ripens and cover with netting if birds are getting into the polytunnel, or greenhouse, and stealing all the fruit. Remember to water and feed while the berries are swelling.

Basil

If three or four seedlings have grown in each pot, don’t thin them. Basil does well in company, so keep each bundle intact and plant the whole lot.

Seedlings may look frail, but I like to get them into the soil as soon as possible. Basil doesn’t like a root run of fine damp compost half as much as it does a free draining soil.

Allow 30cm (12in) to 38cm (15in) between plants and push a stick in for support. Dampen the soil so it doesn’t dry out, but never over-water this crop.

For much more advice, see this month's issue, available to buy online!

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