Monty’s month
It is easy to luxuriate in May and bask in the growth and fulfilment that surges through the days, but it is also a busy time in any garden. Much of this is because there is a distinct shift in the weather. For most of us, frost becomes increasingly unlikely as the month progresses and most tender plants can be put out from their winter protection by the middle of the month.
My citrus plants spent the winter in the new greenhouse, but at the beginning of May I will bring them outside, although I still keep some fleece to hand to cover them if the temperature plummets. As well as acclimatising them to life outside, this is also a good time to prune them, cutting back any damaged, straggly or untidy branches. Oranges and lemons are very forgiving of hard pruning and need reinvigorating, so I look to remove a few of the oldest stems every year that can be replaced by new shoots.