The earth is much warmer this month, making it ideal to immediately plant seed and young plants. It’s crucial to keep in mind that more watering may be required during extended dry spells. To maintain a steady supply of crops, you can still sow successionally with beets, early peas, lettuce, turnips, rocket, radish, and spring onions.
* Top tip – Keep earthing up potatoes and keep sowing successional salad crops of radish, lettuce, and Spring onions. Why not try nasturtium flowers to add flavour and spice to summer salads
June Jobs
- Courgettes – Can be sown once the soil warms up. In a prepared bed of well-rotted compost sow two or three seeds 2.5cm (1in) deep, and water well. They like warm, sunny, sheltered spot with regular watering, they can also be grown in containers if space is limited. Several different varieties from green to yellow and striped. Harvest frequently to encourage more, they are best when they are small and even the flowers are edible. If left, courgette fruits will quickly grow into marrows.
- Marrows – These can be directly sown now and are typically a courgette that is left to grow but there are specific varieties. They are grown in the same way, but you just have 4 fruits per plant. They are hungry and need a lot of water and feeding with tomato feed once fruit have appeared. They must be sown with their thin side vertically to prevent rotting and allow 90cm (3ft) between each plant and take up to 4 months to mature. Bush varieties include Badger Cross, Bush Baby, Tiger Cross or a trailing variety called Long Green.
- Pumpkins – Pumpkins Early June is the best time to sow pumpkins, they can be direct sown into final position and need to be 90cm apart (3 ft) apart from smaller bush varieties. They make great Halloween decorations and delicious winter soups. The seeds can also be roasted for a healthy snack as well. When sowing they will need a warm sunny but sheltered site with plenty of water. Look for varieties with good flavour such as Queensland Blue, Uchiki Kuri, Rouge Vif D’ Etampes, and sweet, thin-skinned Musquee de Provence
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Florence Fennel – This can be sown outdoors in June or July when the soil is warmer. This is a plant that doesn’t like its roots being disturbed so make a shallow drill about 15mm (½in) deep. Water along the base, then sow the seeds thinly along the row. Once they start to show thin out to 30cm apart and use the thinned-out seedlings in salads. When they are mature Click on this link to see the most delicious fennel and potato gratin recipe.
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Pak Choi – This is a leafy vegetable, easy to grow and perfect for salads. You can use the leaves on a cut and come again basis. It is prone to bolt so plant in partial shade and water well. Sow direct in shallow drills 2cm (¾in) deep in rows at least 30cm (1ft) apart or in pots. Once they are 5cm high you can transplant to final site. The young leaves are ready after 30 days, to add to salads. From 45 days, the plants should have developed a ‘heart’ and be ready to harvest for stir fries. Pak choi is hardier than many other leafy crops, so late sowings will crop into the winter with protection.
* Top tip Now Reduced – Don’t forget to protect your hands when sowing and planting seeds. Available in 5 exquisite designs including stylish Red Tweed, Grey Tweed, Artisan, Berry, & Oak Leaf Poppy. For some stylish comfortable and durable gardening gloves Visit My Shop or click on the picture for different coloured garden gloves – A perfect gift to protect your hands.
Children Summer Projects
With school holidays around the corner, there’s nothing better than being outdoors in the sunshine having fun, being creative and amused. Here is a list of useful ideas to keep you little ones amused for a bit – or at least until picnic time!
