Gardening tips for May: Harden plants off

Acclimatising plants to the rigours of the great outdoors should happen gradually in May

Yh6PZSeRZhpA3D3oqkd78F.jpg
flowers

May is the month when warm days begin to beckon tender plants onto the terrace, but beware the cooler night temperatures, which will turn them purple at the edges. The process of hardening-off involves gradually accustoming plants to the rigours of outdoor life, and should not be rushed, but taken in orderly stages. Move plants from the greenhouse to the frame: prop the frame light open during the day, then shut it at night; leave the lights up; then, plant out at the end of the month. All of us needed to learn to walk before we could run.

* Subscribe

to Country Life and save £40% 

Country Life

Bringing the quintessential English rural idle to life via interiors, food and drink, property and more Country Life’s travel content offers a window into the stunning scenery, imposing stately homes and quaint villages which make the UK’s countryside some of the most visited in the world.