Gathering Fruits and Veggies with Monty
Monty Don's May Transplanting Tips: A Guide for Gardeners
In the latest episode of Gardeners' World, Monty Don shared his expert tips for transplanting various crops in May. With a focus on careful planting, timing, and preparation, these tips aim to ensure healthy growth for your garden.
On May 16, 2025, Monty was actively planting foxgloves and sowing cosmos for cut flowers, as well as transplanting tomatoes. This action indicates that May is an ideal time to move seedlings outdoors once the risk of frost has passed and the soil has warmed up.
When transplanting, Monty emphasizes the importance of hardening off seedlings before transplanting by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions to reduce shock. He also recommends choosing the right location with adequate sun and well-prepared soil for transplanted crops. Spacing plants appropriately to allow enough room for growth is another key tip. Watering well after transplanting is also crucial to help plants settle in.
For other crops planted in May, such as foxgloves and cosmos, starting them indoors or in propagation areas and then transplanting outdoors once established seems to be recommended.
While the detailed step-by-step transplanting advice for each crop is not spelled out in the search results, Monty's planting practices in May generally emphasize timing and gentle transition to outdoor conditions, especially for tender crops like tomatoes.
In addition to transplanting tomatoes, Monty also demonstrated the transplanting of mature 'Gold Rush' and 'Nero Di Milano' courgette seedlings into vegetable beds. He advised on the number of courgette plants to grow for good harvests all summer and provided advice on when to pick courgette fruits for optimal harvests.
The transplanting of 'Eva' climbing French bean seedlings was also demonstrated. Monty explained that sowing beans outside can be done from the end of May until mid-summer for 'Eva' climbing French beans. Brassicas, including Monty's red cabbage seedlings, have been started off in seed beds and are now being transplanted into main beds.
If you want more precise transplanting instructions (e.g., depth, soil type, protection), watching the May 16, 2025, Gardeners' World episode or checking Monty Don’s gardening books might provide additional practical details. The transplanting of courgettes can be done by the end of May, as they are being planted out as purple-sprouting broccoli crops come to an end.
Transitioning from homes to gardens, Monty Don's May transplanting tips not only apply to tomatoes but also extend to home-and-garden favorites like foxgloves and cosmos, with proper timing and care essential for a successful transplant. Hardening off seedlings before transplanting and ensuring adequate sun and soil preparation are key to success when transplanting various crops in May.
