From Suitcase to Spade – May on the allotment
This is one of the busiest and most rewarding months on the allotment calendar. The hard work of early spring has begun to pay off as young plants establish themselves and the first proper harvests start appearing. There’s a real sense of momentum now, with longer evenings making it easier to spend extra time outdoors after work, pottering, planting, and keeping on top of things.
May on the Allotment
Here are the top May jobs to keep your growing space thriving:
• Plant out tender crops once the danger of frost has passed. (The next few weeks are looking good weather wise.)
• Keep weeds under control before they take hold in warmer weather.
• Water regularly, especially containers, seedlings, and newly planted crops.
• Earth up potatoes as they continue growing.
• Support climbing plants like peas and beans with canes or netting.
• Mulch beds to help retain moisture and suppress weeds.
Planting Out and Filling the Beds
May is the month where everything starts moving outside properly. Greenhouses and windowsills are finally starting to empty as young plants are hardened off and begin to be planted into their final positions.
Indoors or under cover, you can still sow:
Courgettes
Pumpkins and squash
Sweetcorn
Cucumbers
Basil and other tender herbs
Outdoors, it’s a great time to sow or plant:
French beans
Runner beans
Beetroot
Lettuce
Salad leaves
Carrots
Top tip – keep an eye on watering as temperatures rise, especially quite dramatically over the next couple of weeks, it can sometimes shock young plants after such a cool spring. . Seedlings can dry out surprisingly quickly on warm days, especially in greenhouses. I always try to water either early in the morning or later in the evening so plants make the most of it and don’t scorch in the mid day sun.
The First Harvests Arrive
One of the best things about May is finally being able to pick fresh produce from the plot again. I have had an abundance of huge radish, lettuce, spinach and chard. Depending on what you sowed earlier in the year, you may already be harvesting:
Radishes
Spring onions
Salad leaves
Spinach
Rhubarb
Early strawberries
There’s something incredibly satisfying about those first homegrown harvests after the slower winter months. Even a small bowl of salad feels like a real reward for all the digging, sowing, and waiting. Plus it tastes so much better than soggy spinach in a plastic bag from the supermarket.
Read how Maria got started with her allotment here, and find out more information about Roots Allotments
Bring on the Flowers and Pollinators
May is also a brilliant month for flowers. The flower patch is starting to feel more colourful and alive, and pollinators are slowly becoming much more active.
Sow or plant:
Cosmos
Sunflowers
Nasturtiums
Marigolds
Sweet peas
Not only do they brighten the space, but they also attract bees and other beneficial insects that help keep your plot healthy and productive. Although I have two very separate plots for vegetables and flowers, I do like to add in some flowers to attract pollinators to my veg patch.
A greenhouse definitely helps speed things along, but at this time of year even a sheltered corner outdoors can work perfectly well. Just remember to keep tying in taller plants and give everything enough space as growth really takes off.
I currently have two small greenhouses which I have completely outgrown. I have a new, bigger greenhouse arriving next month, it is a dream come true and I can’t wait. I’ll be sharing the progress with you once it arrives.
A Month Full of Growth
May feels like the allotment is finally hitting its stride. The quieter planning months are behind us and now it’s all about nurturing growth, staying on top of jobs, and enjoying being outside again.
There will always be weeds to pull and watering to do, but there’s also the excitement of watching everything come together. With every seedling planted and every flower opening, the allotment starts to feel full of summer promise. I can’t wait to sit back on my bench and take it all in while nibbling on a few home grown snacks.
By Maria Davison
Image credit – Maria Davison
