Do These 10 Things In May For Huge Garden Blooms In Summer

May is the golden gateway between former spring ’s tentative increase and summer ’s full - throated efflorescence . After months of prepping soil and nurturing seedlings , now ’s the meter to supercharge your garden so that when June , July , and August roll around , your beds explode with color . I know how dishearten it can be to see sparse blooms when you ’ve pour out sweat and hope into each industrial plant — so let ’s fortify you with ten essential tasks that will prepare the stagecoach for a prominent summer display !

These steps balance parent raw increase , managing plague , and create the perfect environment for flowers to flourish . From enriching your soil with homemade compost to deadheading early buds , each drill serve your plant focus their energy on robust flush . I ’ve tried and tested every one in my own garden , and I ’m excited to partake in these tips so you may spend less time trouble-shoot and more time admire pollinators nesting in the bare patch beneath your recurrent bunch !

Improve Soil Structure with Homemade Compost

Healthy blooms start underground — rich , crumbly compost feeds roots and improves moisture retention without waterlogging . I mix finished kitchen scraps and tear up leaves into May ’s thaw grunge , stirring down about two inch around perennials and yearly alike . This not only boosts layer of nitrogen , phosphorus , and atomic number 19 but also encourage crawler whose tunnels oxygenate the etymon zone !

Many of our darling summer blossom — like coreopsis ( aboriginal to North America and non - invasive ) and cosmos ( native to Mexico , self - seeding but not invasive)—thrive on that fertile foundation . A well - amended bed means impregnable root , bigger prime , and few struggles with drouth or nutrient lock chamber - up as temperatures mount .

Deadhead Spent Flowers

Snipping off pass off blossoms redirects your plant ’s energy into produce even more blooms instead of go under source . I like to take the air my bed each week , pinching back the drop heads of roses ( Rosa spp . , native to Europe and Asia , some cultivar can cultivate but are n’t typically encroaching ) and daylily ( Hemerocallis spp . , aboriginal to Asia and non - invasive ) to keep a steady show of vibrant colouration !

Deadheading also tidies up your garden and quash hiding spot for slugs and earwig . And when you remove those erstwhile flowers , you ’ll spot come forth buds rather — nothing beats the thrill of come across sassy petals unfurl where you least expect them !

Provide Support for Tall Stems

By May , delphiniums ( native to Europe and Asia , non - incursive ) and dahlias ( native to Mexico , non - trespassing ) crowd skywards and risk toppling under their own weight unit . Installing stakes , coop , or doughnut now prevents wear stems when heavy buds swell . I stop up each plant gently with voiced draw , allowing elbow room for growth without constriction !

Strong , supported stems also make it easier for hummingbirds and large bumblebees to chew the fat tube-shaped peak — these pollinators often nuzzle in nearby ground cavities or honest-to-goodness Sir Henry Wood slews . A sturdy fabric means more pollenation visit and full seed heads or fruit set !

Sow Succession Blooms for Long-Lasting Color

Rather than inseminate all your zinnias or calendula at once , works small batches every two weeks in May . That staggered docket keep fresh blooms coming well into fall ! I ’ve institute that cosmos germinate quickly when direct - seeded in mid - May , dedicate me a uninterrupted supply of touchy efflorescence that pull in butterflies throughout summertime .

Succession sowing also fill any gaps created by boring - to - bloom perennials , check your seam never lose momentum . Plus , when new seedling spark interest among nonsocial bee snuggle in the stripped soil , you ’ll see an uptick in pollinator activity that gain every plant around them .

Feed with Phosphorus-Rich Fertilizer

To further vigorous flowering , apply a atomic number 15 - heavy amendment like ivory meal or tilt inorganic phosphate in early May . Phosphorus supports bud formation and stiff root systems — of the essence for summer ’s heat ! I dust a unaccented fistful around each rose and clematis ( native to Europe and Asia , non - encroaching in most garden ) , gently sour it into the surface soil before irrigate to spark off nutrient uptake .

annul in high spirits - nitrogen feeds at this stage , which can goad leafy development at the expense of flower production . With the right balance , your garden will burst into bloom rather than just filling with foliage !

Mulch to Retain Moisture and Suppress Weeds

A two - inch level of constituent mulch — like shredded bark or leaf mold — locks in soil moisture and keep vie weeds at bay . I spread out mulch around the bag of coneflowers ( Echinacea spp . , aboriginal to North America , non - invasive ) and black - eyed Susans ( Rudbeckia hirta , also aboriginal and non - trespassing ) , leaving a small disruption at the crown to prevent hogwash .

Mulch also moderate soil temperature swings , reducing stress on new emerging buds . When you ’re free from daily weeding , you may marvel at the solitary bees burrowing in the exposed earth along the mulch edge !

Prune for Airflow and New Shoots

gently thinning the center of thickly prongy shrub — like butterfly bush ( Buddleja davidii , aboriginal to China and considered trespassing in some regions — so choose a non - encroaching cultivar!)—improves circulation and sunlight insight . In May , I dispatch a few of last year ’s thick stems , snipping back to an outward - facing bud to boost sassy , flowering wood .

Better airflow keep mould at bay and helps bloom of youth open fully . Plus , those new shoots often supply idealistic nesting spots for tiny pollinator that chew into hollow base , see your garden humming with life !

Water Deeply in the Morning

give your plants a thorough drink early in the day ensures body of water inebriate into the root zone before the sunshine evaporates it . I aim for an inch of piddle per week — either from rainfall or irrigation — and use a moisture meter to confirm incursion . Deep watering advance strong root that stand firm summertime drouth and bring down surface wetness that can encourage fungous spores .

Moisture at tooth root deepness supports healthy leaf turgor and racy flower development . And when the grime dries slightly between tearing , you ’ll see solitary bee emerge from cloak-and-dagger burrows to essay out that valued moisture — another sign your garden ecosystem is balanced !

Scout and Address Pests Early

May ’s modest weather brings out aphids , Caterpillar , and slugs that can mutilate novel buds before they open . I stroll my garden twice each week , check the undersurface of leaf and the folds of new shoots . A quick fire of water or a targeted pat of insecticidal grievous bodily harm pinch small infestation in the bud — saving hour of fighting a full - scale invasion later on !

Encouraging ladybugs and lacewing by planting marigolds ( Tagetes spp . , native to Mexico and non - incursive ) nearby gives you rude pest control . These good predators often nuzzle in protected folio litter , so keeping some debris at the garden edge fosters a self - regulate environment .

Plant Nectar-Rich Companions

Interplanting lavender ( Lavandula angustifolia , native to the Mediterranean , non - encroaching ) or bee balm ( Monarda didyma , aboriginal to North America , non - invasive ) among your flowering bed draw in hummingbird , bumblebees , and butterfly . One of my preferred combos is lilac-colored beside zinnias — both bloom summer - long and keep pollinators engaged , which in twist boost overall plant wellness !

ambrosia - rich comrade also provide tax shelter and staging areas for pollinator to take a breather between visits . Those steady visit translate into better pollination of fruiting plants like tomatoes and berries afterward in the season .