June: the magical vegetable month. When days can seem almost endless and there is near zero fear of frost. Seed that may have seemed reluctant just weeks ago is likely to be more eager now.
It is the time of the summer solstice. The month for sowing any tender squashes and corn. It’s when I long for room to grow more courgettes and pumpkins, the extravagant spreading plants. Some experts may tell you to sow two together and later remove the smaller, weaker one. They might be right, but it sits less well with me. Lavish love on both if you’ve room.
Our climbing beans have finally appeared: blue Blauhilde and Cherokee Trail of Tears to be followed by Beans and Herbs’ Dinah’s Climbing Blue and Coco Bicolour, bought when I slightly panicked at the no-shows. I have added to the amaranth with Oeschberg and Opopeo from Chiltern Seeds and succumbed to a 6ft garden orach: ‘Red Plume’. After many months of flat bare soil I am in need of high, wild and crazy colour. (Luckily, Howard doesn’t read this column.)
Early potatoes should be ready this month, so too peas and broad beans, strawberries and some salads. Sow carrots, beets, broccoli. We will be thnking about starting with autumn salads: endives and radicchio, oriental leaves, etc. Planted in any patches that start to open up.
I will sow summer herbs, coriander, chervil and dill, for flavour and for the beauty of the flowers. I am trying again to replace the ravaged tear peas. We are close to the last of the saved seed. Time here then for a quiet reminder to keep an eye out for predators: slugs and snails, aphids, caterpillars and butterflies.
The days will be longer, the temperatures hopefully higher. So remember to feed and weed and water. But take time too to stand in wonder. These are the garden glory days.
But now what are your planting plans this month?
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