May has arrived and the days are getting warmer and longer. Summer is on its way and it’s time to tidy up spring plants, plant out summer flowers and get planning for autumn.

Look after your finished spring bulbs for next year. Once they’ve gone over, resist the temptation to cut back the foliage. Instead, let it die and break down on its own and add liquid fertiliser all around the clumps. This will give you an even better display next spring.

Remember to open greenhouse vents and doors on warm days. You can also damp down your greenhouse on hot days to increase humidity and deter red spider mites.

Optimise your watering regime — watering early and late to get the most out of your water — and start collecting and recycling water whenever possible.

Apply lawn weedkiller to your lawn this month. Feed your lawn with a high-nitrogen fertiliser to encourage healthy green growth. Water the grass during hot weather — that’s particularly important for newly seeded or turfed lawns. Never allow new lawns to dry out.

Lower mower blades to their regular summer-cut height. Continue sowing lawn seed and repairing bare patches in the early part of the month. Postpone mowing newly sown grass until it reaches 3 inches in height and make sure the mower blades are on a high setting. Install lawn edging to keep edges tidy and smarten up beds and borders.