Here comes the summer! There’s no doubt that there’s lots to do in your edible garden at this time of year, but never fear, our hints and tips will keep you on track. Our comprehensive guide will let you know what to sow at this time of year as well as tasks to make sure you get the most from your plot.
Growing conditions
- Long daylight hours and warm temperatures mean rapid growth of crops and weeds!
- Droughts can be a problem.
Sowing and planting
- Plant out tender vegetables such as tomatoes, sweetcorn, courgettes, and runner beans in June.
- Plant out and winter brassicas.
- Thin the seedlings from earlier sowings to their required spacing.
- Towards the end of the summer start sowing winter salads.
Weeding and watering
- The best method to prevent weeds is to hoe regularly.
- Water regularly when the weather is dry. Use a water butt to collect rainwater.
- Apply a mulch of well rotted organic matter (e.g. garden compost, manure). This helps to trap moisture in the soil and suppress weeds.
Harvesting
- Summer is the time when your hard work starts to be rewarded.
- Harvest regularly to prevent crops becoming too big or overwhelming.
- As plants come to an end remove them and plant quick growing crops e.g. salad leaves, spring onions, radishes and green manures.
Other tasks
- Keep a vigilant eye out for pests and disease and act as soon as they are spotted.
- Protect crops such as cabbages and fruit bushes from hungry birds.
- For tomatoes; pinch out the side shoots, stake and feed.
- Shade and ventilate green houses.
- Turn your compost heap and water it if necessary.
- Summer prune espalier and cordons apple and pear trees.
- Transplant container grown plants such as chillies into larger pots as they grow.
What to sow in Summer
- Remember to water newly sown seeds well in dry weather.
- Thin seedlings once they have emerged to their required spacing.
- Buy shallots, onions, garlic and Broad beans for Autumn planting
| Month | Sow outside | Sow under cover | Sow on your windowsill | Plant out |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June | French and runner beans, Beetroot, Carrots, Salad leaves, Courgettes, Spring onions, Radish, Spinach, Swede | Basil, Coriander, Spring onion, Radish, Baby-leaf salads | Sprouting broccoli, Winter brassicas, Celery, Celeriac, Courgette, Fennel, Leeks. In sheltered sites: Pumpkins, Sweetcorn, Tomatoes | |
| July | Beetroot, Spring cabbage, Beetroot, Carrots, Salad leaves, Spring onions, Radish, Spinach, Chard | Chard, Coriander, Parsley, Rocket | Basil, Coriander, Spring onion, Radish, Baby-leaf salads | Winter brassicas, Leeks |
| August | Spring cabbage, Red Russian kale, Winter lettuce, Chard, Winter spinach | Chard, Coriander, Oriental leaves, Rocket, Lettuce, Salad onions | Basil, Coriander, Spring onion, Radish, Baby-leaf salads | Winter brassicas |
The Edible Gardening Project is kindly supported by players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.