Gardeners told to do two important jobs in May or 'lose control'

’s just around the corner, and many of us will be planning to spend as much time soaking up the sun outside as possible. Sadly, a won’t just appear out of thin air, and if you want your outside space to thrive in summer you have to start laying the groundwork now.

We’re lucky enough to have been given the best possible for some tinkering in the garden, with the and . So, ticking some odd jobs off now on balmy days outside will pay you back in dividends a couple of months down the road.

If you’re not after a full garden makeover, there are two key things you can focus on this month to ensure your plants stay happy and healthy in the weeks to come. They’re also pretty easy, so there’s no excuse not to get the gloves and trowel out for a couple of hours.

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Claire Greenslade is a pro, having previously been head gardener at the gorgeous Hestercombe House in the Quantock Hills. The green-fingered expert spoke on Radio Somerset, and gave her main piece of advice for this month.

"Keep your eye on the weeds," Greenslade said as the first priority. She explained: "If you lose control in April or May, you're done for. Especially with this dry weather, you can just knock off those weeds."

Before you reach for the herbicide, however, consider . Not only are chemical sprays potentially dangerous for both the garden and your health, but they don’t always kill the weed properly to stop it sprouting back again in a matter of days.

Alongside clearing off weeds before they take over during the summer months, another key thing to get sorted now is new growth.

May is an ideal time to plant many new flowers and grasses, but if you wait too long they won’t have much of a chance of taking root.

If you have dreams of colourful flowers taking over your garden, flower seeds can easily be sewn directly into the ground this month.

This is also an ideal time to grow herbs and vegetables, meaning you won’t have to wander far to find ingredients for a summer salad.

Things like tomatoes, runner beans, courgettes, carrots, and cucumbers will all take well, alongside herbs including mint, rosemary, thyme, and oregano, which are best left to grow outside in containers.

According to the , now’s also a good time to look at your lawn, and you can sow grass seed from afresh or just . Right now, according to the RHS: “The soil is warm, there’s plenty of moisture and the weather is neither too cold nor too hot. Germination should take from seven to ten days.”