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Gardeners have been urged to get one job done before May is over. May marks the end of spring and the looming summer, when gardens will explode with colour and fragrances. However, a lot has to be done before these havens come to fruition. One of those jobs that should be done now is mulching, an important job that should be completed before the end of the month. That is according to Woodgate Nursery in Aylsham, Norfolk.

The gardening experts there said that mulching is important in May because "herbaceous growth" hasn't really taken off yet, so gardeners can see what they are doing. If they leave it much longer, the job will be much more difficult. May is one of the busiest months of the year for gardeners, the experts said, and there are a number of jobs that should be completed before May has been and gone.

Mulching normally involves placing organic matter such as wood chips, compost or bark on top of soil to regulate its temperature, prevent weeds and retain moisture levels.

"Mulching now is advisable, whilst you can still see what you are doing and before the herbaceous growth really takes off," said Woodgate Nursery. "Use your own garden compost or leaf mould, well-rotted manure or the contents of out-of-date grow bags.

"Mulch is effectively a protective cover placed over the soil to retain moisture, provide nutrients, and suppress weed growth and seed germination."

However, if you have already mulched, there is an important task to do. The experts also urge gardeners to "add some general purpose fertiliser" to their beds, borders and pots, as the soil is "warming up and plants are starting to grow".

When it comes to borders, the experts advise gardeners to continue to plant out perennials and shrubs to fill in any unwanted gaps.

Additionally, gardeners should prune their penstemons and look out for black spots on roses in May. With just a couple of weeks left in the month, many gardening experts have provided a checklist of jobs to get done in the garden before the arrival of summer.

A horticultural expert at Cherry Lane Garden Centres has shared the "key" gardening jobs to complete in May, such as planting up hanging baskets, repotting houseplants and planting out dahlia and canna tubers.