... to the Mayissue of Grow Your Own! Thereisplentytokeep us all busy on the plot this month, with seedlings bursting through, blossomlooking gorgeous andevensomeofthose early harvests gracingour trugs. With longer days andwarmerweather creepingin, it reallyisa wonderful monthtospend timeout on theplot.
Thereare so many cropstoget started this month, too–and we have some greatgrowing guides to help you on the waywithpeas(page 39), French beans(page 54), strawberries (page74), radishes (page77) andmuchmore.
If you’ve missed the keysowing windowsfor anyofyourcrops, fear not! We areonhandwithasimple guide to plug plants, perfect forhelping you catchup(page 28).
As well as all this,our contributors arekeeping busy in their gardens, and sharingthe latest updates on their top plot jobs, with RekhaMistryfocusing on gettingareal bang foryourbuck in small spaces (page36), James Martin keepingupwithabusyfamily allotment plot (page 64) andMarkLane continuingthe evolutionofhis home garden (page10).
We hope youenjoy themonth,and as ever,we’dlove to see your growing projects, so do getintouch on oursocial mediaplatforms.
Happy growing,
Editor LauraHillier
Enjoyyour
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TOP CROPS! May’s
Expert advicetoinspire youtogrowmoreinthe fruitand veg garden this month
26
Topcarrots
We sharefiveofour favourite varieties of this deliciousand popular root
Afantastic waytoplaycatch up this season,here’swhy youshouldconsider plug plants
Getstarted nowand enjoy thesesweet,tasty fruits in no time at all 74
60 daystrawberries
39
Perfectpeas
Grow thesesweet little podsand youwon’t look back –iftheymake it as farasthe kitchen!
77
Salad superstar
Addapepperykicktothose summermeals by growing radishes –it’ssoeasy!
JobsPlot on the
Springisinfullswing,and as gardeners, we couldn’t be happier about it!While it’s easy to get aheadofyourself andplanfor busy summermonths, it’s importantto remember that there arecrucial jobs to complete on theplotbefore we look forwardtothose high temperatures and long,sunny days. Take alookatthese keytasks that will help to set youupfor a productive season.
Containergrowing
The Herb Garden
Don’tforgetthatherbs can help to keep pest numbersdownonthe plot.Strongsmellingherbs such as chives andlemon balm can help to deteraphids, carrotfly, andmosquitoes. Whynot plant afew of them around your crops this seasonand give this form of organicgardening ago?
Therewill be plenty of youngplantsthat need pottingupthismonth,somakesure that youhavegood-quality compost and various sizesofpotstohand. Youwill know when plants need pottingupwhen youcan see theroots poking out of the bottom holesofyour pots
If temperatures allow,you can start hardeningoff your plants by leavingthem outsidefor graduallylengthening periods of time. This processnormallytakes between aweekand twoweeks before plants can move permanently. If youmake surethatthe risk of frost haspassed, then this is agreat techniquetoensureyour cropscan handle themoreharshoutdoor conditions –findout more on page 60
Seasonaltasks
Thevegetable patch
Brassicascan be plantedintotheir final positions this month, andyou can also transplant your celery andceleriac,if they areready to be moved.
Vegetablebedsthatare growingonions andgarlic should be weeded regularly to avoidweedscompeting forwater,light andnutrients.
Thin outcarrotand parsnip seedlings to make surethatthe strongest plants have room to grow strong andproduce plenty of harvests.Check thesuggested spacings foryourspecific varieties.
Buildyourframesfor runner bean crops this monthbyusing bamboo canes. If kept in good condition, they can be reusedfor many seasonstocome.
Remembertoharvest asparagusspears beforetheyreach 18cm tall. This will allowyou to enjoytenderstems that have notdried outand becomewoody.
If youhavebeen prepared andsown saladcrops earlierthisyear,thenyou maybeabletoenjoy some of thefirst harvests of theyear in theformofthese tender anddelicious leaves.
Youcan continue to plantgarlic, shallot andonion sets this month. Rememberto waterthemwellduringdry spellsand keep theareaweed-free.
Undercover
Youcan continue to make later sowings of sweet peppers, cucumbers, aubergines, tomatoes, celery andmore.
Cucumbers, peppers andaubergines can nowleave their greenhouse homes andbeplanted out into their final spots in theveg garden.
Whynot start cropssuchascourgettes, sweetcorn,marrows andpumpkins undercoverincontainers this month? This will give them agreat start but they can grow stronglater in theseason.
If you’regrowingchillies this year, remember to increase humidity levels in thegreenhouse by dampingdown pathways usingahose or wateringcan
If temperatures rise high this month, then remember to install greenhouse shading to preventyour leaves from scorching This kindofdamage can be irreparable andresult in significantlyfewer harvests.
PROBLEMOFTHE MONTH: Grey mould
Lo ok out fo rg reym ould( Botrytis cinerea)astemper at ures ri se. Humidity levels can in crease in un de rc over sp ac es, whichi s th ep er fe ct environ me nt fo rt hi s fun gus to th rive .R em ember to re gul arly ins pect th eleave s, bud s an df lowe rs of yo ur crop sfor th e cl as si cf uz zy grey/b rown mo uld. Anyi nfected crop ssho uldb e di sposed of imm edi atelya nd not th rown onto th ec om post pi le Maintainin gg ood hygien eo nt he plot will re duc et he likel ih ood of re in fe ctio no cc ur rin g.
Fruits of your labour
Nowisthe time to startfeeding certain fruitcrops, such as plums, cooking apples, cherriesand pears. Applya nitrogen feed on aregularbasis.
Maintain aregularweeding routine aroundyourfruitbushestoallow them to grow strongand withoutbeing hindered by unwanted plants. Youcould also apply amulch around these cropstokeep this jobtoaminimum.
Topdress container-grownfruitthis month–itwill help your plants to producestronggrowth.
If you’dliketoexpandyourfruit-growing repertoire this season, whynot try melons?Theycan be sown nowand plantedout laterinthe month.
As fruit beginstodevelop on trees and bushes, birdsmay becomeanissue Netting, homemade windchimesand lightreflectorsare allgreat optionsifthis becomes aproblem foryou this season.
Pigeons
Focus on this :
As more and moreleafy growthis produced by your crops,pigeons will be at large andready to strip your plants bare. Use netting to protect your outdoor edibles butremember to keep it taut as this will prevent thebirds from getting caught up in theprotective barrier.While they canbeafrustration for gardeners,pigeons are also responsible foreating pests in thegarden,sowhy not leave some of your crops unprotected to keep them around?This can be an excellentformoforganic pest control control.
WGARDEN DIARY MARK’S
ithinspiration from everycornerat
MarkLane is feelinginspiredthismonth,and is workingonmaking hisgardena wildlife haven
RHSChelsea Flower Show andwiththe warmer weatherand rain, my plants have started to grow,especially our herbaceous perennials.May is thereforethe perfect timetoundertake the‘Chelsea Chop’–I’ll be cuttingback portions of my perennials to prolong flowering. Thecut-backportions will flowerlater,while thosestems left at full height will flowerearlier.This is agreat waytoprolong flowering so that my displays look better for months on end, rather than havinga flourish of floweringand then some downtimeinthe garden. It also means that pollinatorshaveacontinued food source forlonger.
When it comestoattractingwildlife in my garden thereare some simple
rules that Ifollow. Iintroduce waterin some guise,whether it’s awater feature, areflective pool, apondoranupturned dustbinlid flled with water. Allliving creatures need watertosurvive.Tohelp pollinatorsand smallanimals suchas hedgehogs, Iput in agravelorstone ‘beach’ beside thewater,sothatthe wildlifecan reachitwithout fear of falling in. Next,Itry nottobetoo tidy. Ileave some areasofthe garden alittlemessy as this is perfect forinsects, beetles, amphibiansand smallherbivorestorest, feed andraise their young.
Ialso, follow a‘ No -Mow May’,resisting theurgetomow my entirelawn, allowing wildflowers andlonggrass to grow,and providingfood andshelter forinsects andsmall animals. When it comesto planting, Iopt foropen -cupped flowers as well as those with tubular flowers.A good mixofplantshelps increase the
biodiversityofbothfloraand fauna, andthe diferent-shaped flowers attract diferent pollinators. In addition, Ichoose native plants that areadapted to thelocal climateand ecosystem. These plants naturallyattract thewildlifethatthrives in my area.
Twoyears ago,Iplanted ahornbeam hedge.Hedgesand shrubs provide shelter, nestingsites andcover for wildlife. My hedge sits near thebottomof agrain silo andevery springand early summer house martinsnest in thesilos andbarns andenter throughslits in the side.I’m hoping,withthe additionofthe hedge,theywill rest andperhaps fnda tasty morselbeforeflyingof.
Birds,ofcourse, love food sources suchasdecomposers likeworms, beetlesand otherinsects, so composting andmulchingearlier in theyear helps improve soil structure, andkeep down
weeds, food s seeds, especia dandel
lly weedy areas alone I als ons as they are an importa o leav nt foo
source of nectar for earlyspringsummer pollinators–Ihave quite afew of these in my lawn!
On thebackofmygarage, I’ve sitedacouple of bird boxes. We used to have bird feeders, but, unfortunately, thelocal rat populationinthe workingbarns on thefarmlovedthisfreefood, so we took them down.Wedo, however, p up cagesflled with nestingmateri
Finally, when it comestocaring wildlifeinthe garden, Ifolloworga gardeningprinciples. Thereductio useofpesticides meansthe garden fndit’sown natural balance. Pestic canharmbenefcial insects andot wildlife. It also meansthatI save m whichIcan use to buymoreplants
In additiontoattractingmore w into my garden, Ishall be hardenin of my dahlias that Istarted in the greenhouse last month. Over seven days, Ishall leavethemoutside du theday andthenbringthemindoo againovernight.Atthe endofthe 1 period, they can be left outdoors. T also givesmethe perfect opportun hammer in 40 wooden stakes to support thedahlias andtoenrichthe soil with some additionalhomemadecompost, readyfor planting–remember, dahlias arehungryplants.
r
Forall of thepottedtrees andshrub in containers Iplanted earlier in theyear to bringsomegreeneryand colour to our driveway/courtyard, Ishall supplement them with aliquid feed everytwo to four weekstopromote healthy grow th.I liketouse liquid seaweed extractand a biofertilizer.There is no need formeto replenishthe soil yet, as thecompost ha feed in it that shouldlastfor fvetosix months,soMay is theperfect timetogiv my plants apick- me-up.
FR EE SEEDS!
Add thes efantas tic va rie ties to yo ur e dt in andyou’ll be enjoyi ng go ur me t harve sts in no time
This tasty varietycan be grownfor ‘hearted’cabbages or springgreens. It’s popular,reliable andreally healthy –the solid, pointedheads area great source of antioxidants andvitamin C. Thedarkgreen outerleaveshave the most goodness!
Sowoutdoors
Wateryour seed bed thoroughlyand ensurethe area hasbeen finely-prepared beforesowingthe seeds thinly, 1.5cm deep
It usually takesbetween 14 and21days forseedlings to appear,and these should be wateredwelluntil theyoungplantsare nicely established.
sare around10cmtall, eaving45cm between between rows. Make sure mlyand then waterwell.
Sowindoors
Sowseeds0.5cm deep in atrayof compost andwater well.
Once your seedlings arelarge enough to handle,place them in acoldframeor
If you’resowingbetween Julyand August,harvest springgreensbetween February andMarch,and hearted cabbagesinApril or May. ForMarch to Maysowings,greenscan be harvested September to November.
If you’reover-winteringplants, give them aboostbyapplyingahighnitrogen fertiliser duringearly spring.
Wild rocket
Easy to grow,ever-popular wildrocket (orusing itsbotanical name diplotaxis tenuifolia)isanideal beginners gourmetsalad.Withits tangyand spicy leavesthatadd interest to milder salads such as lettuce,rocketisa greatsource of vitaminC,plusyou can harvest up to four baby leaf pickings with thisvariety.
Wild rocket lovesfertile,moistureretentivesoil, andgrows happilyinwellwateredcontainers.FromApril-August sowseedsthinlywhere they aretogrow, around0.5cm (1⁄4”) deep directly into finely prepared, moistsoil. Allow25cm (10”) between rows.
Germinationusuallybeginsin7-21days –water well andensurethe soil remains moisttoprevent theplantsfromrunning to
seed. If sowingearly,itmay be beneficial to protect seedlings with acloche.
Once largeenoughtohandle, thin out to 10cm (4”) apart –atthisstage youcan use thethinnings in salads.Ifyou only require baby leaves,nothinningisnecessary.
To ensureacontinuous supplyofwild rocket, sowevery 2-3weeks andrepeatthe processabove.
Take afew leaves from each plant, which will give up to four cuts,orpickwhole, mature plants as desired.
Forlater sowings,use aclocheinthe autumn forprotection to extend the harvestperiod.
Mustard ‘Orienta l Ruby
Simple to grow in containers or theveg patch, thiscropproduces avitamin Cfilled yield in no time –perfect forsalads.
Preparethe plot,and sowseedsata depthof1.5cm in pre-wateredsoil. Space rows at 15cm forcut-and-come-again harvests, andyou canevenuse 25cm containers. Sowseeds thinly.
It will take aroundone to twoweeks forseedlingstogerminate
Sowfrequently, everytwo to three weeks, foraregular harvest.
Take leaves when around10cmin height, andtry to harvestfromseveral differentplantsatonce.
If growingfor mature crops, space
rows at 25cm,thinningplantstoa distance of 20cm. It is worthnoting that as theleavesgrowtheybecome hotter in taste.
’
Lettuce ‘L ittleG em
We all love to pile ‘Little Gem’ leaves on to theplate so whynot addthis jewelofthe salad world to theplot? These crispy, crunchygreen heads have tender centresand asweet freshflavour.‘Little Gem’ canbe growneitherincontainers or in the vegpatch –and their small, compact shape meansthattheysuiteventhe smallest of growingspaces.
SowseedsthinlyoutdoorsfromMarch to Julywhere they aretocrop, at adepth of 1cm. Makesuretosow seedsinsun or semi-shadeand in moist, fertileand well-cultivatedsoilthathas been raked to afinetilth.
Plantinrows, allowing30cmbetween each to preventovercrowding.
Seedlings should appear within seven-14 days.Whenlarge enoughtohandle, thin
Basil ‘Thai’
This varietylooks andtastesgreat. It’s asweet basil, perfect forgrowing in pots, anddeliciouswhenusedin pestoand salad recipes.MrFothergill’s recommends addingthe basiltocooked dishes at thelastminute to getthe best of theflavour
Sowoutdoors
Basilcan be kept on awarm, light windowsill allyear round. Ifyou’re
planningonkeepingoutdoor indoorsfromMarch to May. deep into smallpotsofgood compost andwater well.
ually within ng in cooler though!) ing them out before
seedlings to 23cm apart andcover with protective nettingorfleeceto preventattackfrombirds or insects.
Waterplantsregularly,especially duringdry weatherastender vegetables areprone to bolting. HarvestyourlettucesfromJuneto September.Todoso, pull up theentire plantand trimoff thestemwitha sharpknife
Once seedlings emerge,thinthemto 20cm apart.
Outdoor cropscan be harvested from Juneonwards.
Pick theleavesjust beforeyou plan to use them forthe best taste, andsow every twotothree weeksfor asteadysupply.
Tarragon ‘Russian’
Tarragoncan adda uniqueflavour to so manydishes, anditsmells greatin thegarden, too. This hardy variety does well in pots or borders –eventhose with poor,dry soils.
Chamomile
As we all know,chamomile teaisthe ticketfor agood night’ssleep,since thisplant hasa coolingeffectonthe nervoussystem. Thereare twotypes of chamomile: non-flowering cultivars, that can be planteden-masseto create ascented chamomilelawn, and floweringtypes, likethisone,which arebetter forfillinggapsatthe frontof flowerborders, or in thekitchen.
Indoors, sowseeds0.5cm deep into small pots of compost andplace somewherewarm, likeawindowsill. Water thepotswelland keep them moist.
Once seedlings arelarge enoughto handle,transplanteachone to an 8cm pot andkeep them in cooler conditions
Harden theplantsoff,avoidingfrosts, untilyou plantthemoutside.Leave 45cm spacings between plants
Theleavescan be picked as needed, but bear in mind that mature leaves aretastier Mr Fothergill’s recommends protecting theplantswithamulch of straw or soil in thewinter, andfreezingratherthandrying theleavestostore
Sowseedsthinlyoutside from April to Maywhere they aretocrop, at adepth of 1.2cm. Make suretoplant in light, welldrainedsoiland in asunny spot.
Plantinrows, allowing30cmbetween plants so they have thespace to grow on healthy andhappy
Thinningshouldn’t be necessary, but if seedlings arelooking overcrowded, thin
to 15cm apart once largeenough to handle
Keep theareabetween plants weed free, andremember to waterduring periodsofdry weather.
Harvestsix-eight weeksafter sowing, usuallyaroundJunetoSeptember. To harvest, select afew leaves from each plantand use to make arefreshingtea.
My new allotmentisbeing engulfed by asurge of weeds –what canIdo?
Weedscan be daunting on an allotment, butbyplantingin straight rows cropsare easy to hoe, andtimelyhoeing will remove almost allthe weeds. Some will remain within therowsand hand weeding with aglovedhandwill be needed here.Onthe plus side weed growth fallsawayafter June andthe tasklightensconsiderably. In theworst case starting again afterclearing weedsissometimes thebestpolicy–itisonlyMay and most cropswill catchupfroma Maysowing. Alternatively, buyin plants.Onallotmentspeoplewith surplus plants (there arealways some)may well donate from their surplus. Bulb onions need to be bought as plants as they must have plenty of leaves in Junetoform worthwhile bulbs.
Once theweedsare reduced consider plantdensity –ifyou plantorthintothe closest recommendedspacing(see labels
pac
ompete with the weeds and educe their growth
Next year the problem will be ppreciably less
Once theplants have plent yoffowers remove thefeecetoallowbees to pollinate
CanIgrow melons andwatermelons outdoors successfully? Thecrops,watermelons especially, need warmth andlotsofit, so greenhouses or cold frames are ideal. However, wherethese arelacking (especiallyinthe south),asunny shelteredsite– andifpossiblea coveringoffleece– can give fair results, especially in anyhot summers we have Eitherbuy plants or start them indoors, oneseed per small pot. Grow with ample warmth andlight.Let them developatleast four true leaves before plantingout once the soil is warm in June.Theyreally hate cold soil. Gardeners with chillyclaysoilcan plant on low, flat ridges. Aweekafter planting it is agood plan to pinchout growingtip (‘stop’), leavingjusttwo leaves to induce
sideshoots that will make thebest useof space. Trainone or twoofthe newshoots that result to thebackofthe growingarea andthe othertothe front, pinching out thetips afterseven leaves have formed. Subsequentlateralsare stopped afterfive leaves inducingsideshootsthatwill carry thecrop.
Once theplantshaveplentyof flowers remove the fleecetoallow bees to pollinate. Afterfruits have formed, reduce their number to four or five andreplace anyfleeceto maximiseheat.
They will need watering andfeedinginhot dry spells. Expect ripe fruits by late summer.
