May Edible Garden Update

May is a great time to get out in the sunshine, warm up and plant some fantastic fruits, vegetables and herbs. They will add variety and flavour to your cooking, are good for you, and will save you money in the long run. 

May Garden Planting 

Transplanting

If you’re a step ahead and have previously planted in seed trays, the following should now be ready to have the seedlings transplanted into the garden.

Brussel Sprouts	Cabbage
Cauliflower	Collard greens
Kale	Leeks

Planting into the Garden

Broad Beans	Carrots	Chives
Corn Salad/Lamb’s Lettuce	Florence Fennel	Garlic
Kohlrabi	Lettuce	Mizuna
Mustard Greens	Onion	Oregano
Pak Choy	Parsley	Peas
Radish	Rocket	Shallots/Eschalots
Silverbeet	Snow Peas	Spinach
Strawberry Plants	Turnips

Plants not Seeds

This month is the time plant strawberry plants, not the seeds. If you want to grow strawberries from seeds then you will need to wait until June.

Harvesting Tip

If you are still harvesting watermelon you should do so when the part of the fruit in contact with the ground turns yellow and it sounds hollow when tapped.

Growing food tip of the month

May is the last month before winter that we suggest planting chives. They are a perennial but can die down during the colder months. To ensure a steady supply, you can dig up a small clump and pot for indoor use during winter. Make sure you remove the flowers to encourage a continuous supply of leaves. If weeds ever take over, you can easily distinguish chives from as grasses as they are hollow and emit an onion smell.

We will also be highlighting each of these plants throughout the month over on our Facebook page – offering information about planting, harvesting and more – so don’t forget to jump over and ‘like’ the Perth Landscaping & Gardening page.

This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. For specific advice, please contact Perth Gardening.