Jobs to do in the garden in May

You are probably cutting the grass at least once a week on your lowest cutting height by now and getting tired of the same old routine. To mix it up a little why not add some stripes or interesting pattern to your lawn. By using a lawn mower with roller like the Flymo Chevron 32VC, you can add stripes or patterns easily.

Stripes are added by the flattening and bending the grass as you cut. This in turn changes the angle at which the light reflects off the grass blade – giving the impression the grass is a different colour.

If you have any bare patches of grass, sowing grass seed is perfect. Since the ground is still moist and the air is warm, it's the ideal growing conditions.

Remember not to let newly sown lawn seed or new turf dry out in hot weather. Keep the soil moist to ensure that it continues to grow. Avoid cutting new grass from seed until it is at least three inches in height.

Start the month off by tidying your spring plants and cutting them back. Remove any fleeces you may have placed on your plant pots during the winter.

By now you should be potting up any seeds (now small plants) you may have sown in April, or even planting them directly into the ground for the upcoming summer. Before planting out, remember to harden them off for a few weeks first, taking them out of the greenhouse during the day and then back into the greenhouse during the night.

For tender vegetables planted into the ground like lettuce, cabbage etc. you may benefit from covering your crops with a sheet to prevent nuisance birds from eating them.