May can be such a dangerous month. It appears to be the beginning of summer; often sunny and dry and on the whole far more pleasant than the showeriness of April. The result, us gardeners are often lulled into a false sense of security and we unwittingly risk losing tender plants we've painstakingly cared for since the frosts were thick and snow was on the ground. If you aren't yet familiar with your final frost dates, then my one piece of advice for May would be to get to know yours better.

There are several website you can use, this is the one I have saved in my favourites: Frost map

You might think there's not much variation. But if I tell you that across my family we live in a roughly straight line from East to West that covers about 20 miles but have four different final frost dates ranging from 11 April to 20 May you may be tempted to check again.

We've just passed the expected final frost date for where I live, but my parents just 3 miles away have another 10 days to wait before their risk is significantly reduced.

So with frosts not quite dominating my mind anymore, I can move on (keeping a careful eye on the forecast) to hardening off my plants, and planting them in the ground. Depending on where you've been keeping your seedlings hardening them off can be a chore, if like me it means two trips a day to the allotment, but it is absolutely worth the effort as your plants will become used to the variations of temperature, breeze and humidity whilst still having some protection on an evening before you get to plant them out.

Following the April showers the ground is now ripe and fertile. Unfortunately i';s often dominated by tiny weed seedlings trying to survive where you plan to plant your preferred vegetables or flowers. A dry and and a hoe are your best friends in these circumstances. Established weeds with a tap root need pulling out of your growing space, but if they're not in the way of anything then consider if they're maybe doing something useful for your garden's ecosystem and just leave them be. Back to the weed seedlings you do want to clear, if you can get on top of them in May and June the chances are they'll cause you little trouble through the rest of the year. There's no need to hoe deeply, just the top few centimetres needs to be cut through and the seedlings can be left to dry and die before you plant into the area. Mulching after hoeing will not only help your ground to retain moisture but will also block out light for any remaining seeds, either weakening them or preventing their germination.

Seeds to sow in May

May is the best time to begin sowing squashes, pumpkins and gourds, as we head towards the end of the month, the temperatures should also be high enough that you can sow these outside.

If you've not sown Beans or Peas yet, or have a long term succession plan in place, now is a good time to get these in the ground. Those I've sown indoor will be planted out in the next week or two, then I find a row every 3/4 weeks keeps us going well into autumn, with some occasionally making it into the freezer at home (if I've not popped the pod and eaten them before they get to the dinner table). Don't forget to keep up with successional sowings of salad crops too.

Most brassicas can also be direct sown outdoors during May, again little and often will help prevent a glut of 14 cauliflowers being ready the same week!

If you don't already have a bed or pot dedicated to herbs, now is a good time to start one. The seeds will germinate easily and many of the plants will be ready for you to use within a matter of weeks.

Flowers such as Forget Me Nots, Canterbury Bells, Hollyhocks, Honesty, Sweet William, Evening Primrose and Scabious are just a few that can be sown now. The weather is also right for direct sowings of many annuals such as Cornflowers, Poppies and Linaria. For a longer list, and to get your seeds, check out our What to Sow When guides.

Other jobs to do this month

I've already mentioned beginning to harden off plants grown indoors, so once the time is right, plant those out.

Check on your plants in pots, especially those you've recently transplanted to larger pots, once they begin to grow well their pots will dry out faster and so you need to keep a check on their moisture levels.  Once good watering that soaks the compost through is far better than several trickles that only wet the surface. Strong plants will have found moisture through their roots deep into the pot, whereas just giving a sprinkle encourages roots to come towards the surface in search of moisture.

If like me you have masses of primroses, now whilst they are still in leaf is a good time to lift and divide their clumps. Grasses can also be lifted and divides at this time of year.

Avoid flopping perennials by staking them before they need it. Also  this month consider which may benefit from a "Chelsea Chop".

Keep plants in your greenhouse under review. If you notice a yellowing of their leaves it generally means they're running out of nutrients. The additional food within many composts only lasts for 6 weeks, so you'll need to consider whether its time to pot those on again, if the roots are to the edge of the pots, or you need to introduce a general purpose feed (weekly) to your watering regime. The lower leaves may not recover, but new growth will soon green up.

If you're growing potatoes, continue to earth those up until they are ready for harvesting. Earthing up blocks out the light around new shoots and in turn helps produce more potatoes.

Mulch strawberries, to lift the fruit off the ground, and perhaps consider whether you need to net your plants to protect your crop. Now is also a good time to check the flowers for frost damage, any with a black eye can be removed.

Above all else, find some time this month to sit down and enjoy your garden or growing space. There's always a job to do here and there, something to occupy your time, but unless you make an effort to sit back and enjoy it those times will slip away and before you know it we'll be in June.