June sees the harvest of first summer crops such as peas and beetroot, maintenance of growing crops and second sowings.
Nip out the tops on broad bean plants to keep blackfly off. Secure each row with stakes and string to avoid collapse as the pods get heavy.
Keep fruiting veg such as beans and courgettes watered when in flower, this helps them set fruit. Water celeriac and celery with a rose, as they like moist conditions.
Dib leeks in late June or early July
Mulch established plants with compost
Tomatoes like warmth and shelter, and like their cousins the potato, need moisture to grow. Moderate watering every other day is optimum for plants growing in soil, grobags need water twice on a hot day. Nip out (don’t pull off) all side shoots when 1” long.
Keep picking lettuce leaves, leaving about 3 little leaves after picking, so that the plants do not rise to flower. Transplant replacements in late June.
Pick/thin carrots at twilight, when windy or raining, so root fly don’t smell them and lay their horrible eggs.
Hoe out tiny weeds before they feed slugs.
Sowings in June
As you harvest crops, have lots of transplants ready to maximize growth midsummer. Only transplant strong plants: small plants will never catch up and be more prone to trouble and pests.
Suggested sowings are squash, French beans, maincrop carrots radicchio, bulb fennel, second lettuce, radicchio, swede and all manner of brassicas for winter harvest—savoy, sprouts, curly kale. We aim to transplant winter cabbage after early potatoes, so transplant in July.
