Under Cover - May

If you’ve been growing your own summer bedding, the young plants will need hardening off now – in other words acclimatising them to life outdoors after being coddled under glass. To start with, put the young plants out in the daytime only. Towards the end of the month they can be left out all the time.

Grow Bags are an easy way to grow a wide range of tender vegetables including tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergines, peppers and even melons. Bring the bags into the greenhouse a week or so before planting into them – this will give the compost time to warm up. For organic and peat-free growing choose the New Horizon Grow Bag. Tall and thirsty crops will do best in the J Arthur Bower’s Planter, which has extra depth of compost. If space is at a premium the traditional J Arthur Bower’s Grow Bag will be your best buy.

There’s still time to sow courgettes, marrows and cucumbers in individual pots filled with J Arthur Bower’s Seed & Cutting Compost.

Pot up rooted cuttings of fuchsias, pelargoniums and other tender plants into small pots filled with your favourite J Arthur Bower’s or New Horizon Multi-Purpose Compost.

If you’re growing fuchsias for pots or baskets make sure you keep pinching out the growing tips. This will make the plants more bushy and will stimulate extra flowers.

Keep potting on cannas and begonias as their roots fill the pots. Use your favourite J Arthur Bower’s or New Horizon Multi-Purpose Compost.