WhatToGrow July 2024

Plot to plate Fruit Thinning Taking Cuttings Vegetables to sow Plus much more inside...

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welcome Editorial Editior James Davis Feature Editor Cheryl Elizabeth Davis CONTRIBUTORS

David Gallacher Jenny Winnard Hazel Rowland Discover Scottish Gardens Bearded Growers Kate Turner

James Davis Editor

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July Edition Welcome to the July edition of WhatToGrow.

It took a while but summer has finally arrived and let’s hope it stays around for a while.

All your hard work in the spring, preparing the ground and sowing those early seeds is now paying off. Our gardens and allotments are now in full swing. Alas a gardeners work is never done. There is always plenty to do.

In this edition you’ll find plenty of inspiration and some jobs for your garden this month.

Don’t forget to check out our website for more articles and newly created YouTube channel.

Once again, thank you to our contributors for all your hard work.

Keep gardening!

This edition 4

Plot 47 to plate

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From plot to plate. No waste, tastes great!

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Fruit Thinning

10

Taking Softwood cuttings

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Explose Scotland’s most romantic rose gardens in July

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Jobs for the garden in July

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Vegetables seeds to sow in July

24

Roses: a Living History

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Bearded Growers: The Projects

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Top tips for perfect peat free planting

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Seed gathering in July

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E-gardeners

Plot 47 to plate JENNY WINNARD Freelance Gardening Writer @jenny_ourfamilyallotment

Welcome to the first monthly addition of whats going on at my allotment!

My articles will be about the treats we can bring from our growing spaces to our plates, plot to plate, plant to plant inspiraiton for you all.

I am kicking things off with the BEETROOT! Such a pretty and versitile vegetable that in the last few years since growing it at my allotment I have enoumously started to enjoy eating. It’s the hight of summer so the allotment is bursting with colour and the promise of some good meals and fun cooking.

One of the first vegetable plants that is usually ready to harvest is Beetroot.

Having sown them in the greenhouse in early march, planted them out mid April, by early June they are happily sitting on top of the soil entising me in.

INGREDIANTS

Method

•

4 raw medium sized Beetroots of your choice – don’t get the ones pickled in packets as they are cooked already.

Wash your beets and chop them up into bite size chunks. No need to peel them. I halved and quartered my beetroots.

•

Feta Cheese – use as much or as little as you like / small fried chunks of Halloumi would work really well too if you are not a Feta fan! Just fry those separately and add them at the adding cheese stage.

•

Handful of chopped up walnuts (optional, leave these out if you don’t like nuts).

•

Handful of finely chopped raw spinach (optional, use any herby thing to be honest, I tried mint once and this worked a treat giving a really lovely added flavour).

2. Once cooked remove the beets from the oven, place them in your dish of choice and crumble the feta and walnuts over the beets, give them a good mix.

•

1tbs Olive Oil

•

Balsamic Glaze (thicker than vinegar, and well worth having in the fridge).

3. Drizzle some balsamic glaze over everything and sprinkle the thinly chopped spinach to garnish.

•

Pepper for seasoning

1. Place the beets in an oven proof dish and drizzle the olive oil over them, give them a toss to make sure the beets are well covered. Roast in the oven on 200 degrees for about 20mins, or about 1015 mins in the airfyer, you want them nice and crispy on the outside and soft in the middle, a bit like a roast potato really! They just don’t take as long to cook as a roastie!

4. Tuck in and enjoy!

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From plot to plate.

No waste, tastes great!

HAZEL ROWLAND @my.allotment.obsession

There are so many things we can start to harvest from our vegetable gardens now summer is in full swing. There are also many health and environmental benefits to eating freshly picked produce as well.

Compared to supermarket food, which often has further to travel and sits on shelves for longer, freshly picked food has more nutrients and vitamins. This is because as soon as a plant is picked, it’s minerals will start to deplete.

Growing food organically means you’ve removed the use of chemicals in the growing process, making it less likely for you to ingest substances like pesticides.

Harvesting beetroot?

Another element is that in-season organic produce is much better for the environment due to having a shorter distance to travel, and therefore a smaller carbon footprint.

Cooking cauliflower?

Food waste is also reduced. Because so much effort has gone into growing it, we want to make sure we are using as much of it as possible. This is something I am always experimenting with, and I’d like to suggest some ideas for you:

Growing carrots?

Use the carrot greens to make a delicious carrot top pesto or use young carrot tops in salads!

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Bake it into a brownie. You can also use the leaves and stalks whizzed up into a zesty yoghurt crisp dip.

Cook the leaves as a side dish like kale and whizz the stalk into a creamy vegan sauce to accompany the baked head.

Picked a pumpkin?

You can also bake the pumpkin skin into seasoned crunchy crisps!

There’s loads of great no-waste food ideas out there, so have a think about how you can incorporate as much as possible to make the most of your fresh, local produce!

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Fruit Thinning DAVID GALLACHER Follow me on Facebook

Fruit thinning is a common practice in the UK among gardeners and fruit growers. It involves removing some of the young fruits that have formed on a tree or bush. This may seem counterintuitive, but it’s actually done to improve the quality and size of the remaining fruits.

When to thin fruit in the UK The best time to thin fruit in the UK is in early summer, after the June drop. The June drop is a natural phenomenon where the tree sheds some of its immature fruits. After the June drop, you can see how many fruits are left on the tree and thin accordingly.

How to thin fruit in the UK There are a few different ways to thin fruit in the UK. The most common method is to simply hand-thin the fruit.

This involves removing the unwanted fruits by hand.

You can also use thinning shears to remove the fruits.

Here are some tips for thinning fruit in the UK: Start by removing any malformed or damaged fruits.

Thin the fruits so that there is good spacing between them. The exact spacing will vary depending on the type of fruit tree, but a good rule of thumb is to leave about 4-6 inches between fruits.

When thinning, it is best to remove the smallest and weakest fruits.

Regional Variations in the UK: While July is a good starting point, keep in mind that harvest times can vary slightly depending on your specific location in the UK.

Improved fruit size and quality When a tree is overloaded with fruit, it can’t provide enough nutrients to all of them. This results in smaller, less flavorful fruits. Thinning the fruit allows the tree to focus its energy on the remaining fruits, which will grow larger and have better flavour.

Reduced risk of branch breakage A heavy crop of fruit can weigh down the branches of a tree, especially if there is a strong wind or a lot of rain. Thinning the fruit helps to reduce the weight on the branches and prevent them from breaking.

Improved air circulation When there are too many fruits on a tree, it can be difficult for air to circulate between them. This can create a moist environment that is ideal for the growth of fungal diseases.

Thinning the fruit helps to improve air circulation and reduce the risk of disease.

More even ripening When fruits are crowded together, they can shade each other, which can slow down ripening. Thinning the fruit allows the remaining fruits to get more sunlight, which will help them to ripen more evenly.

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Taking Softwood cuttings DAVID GALLACHER Follow me on Facebook

Why gardeners love softwood cuttings Easy rooting: Imagine snipping off a little piece of your favorite plant, sticking it in dirt, and poof! You’ve got a new plant growing.

That’s the magic of softwood cuttings. Since they’re new growth, they root like champs, which is perfect for beginner gardeners or anyone who’s ever killed a cactus (no judgment here).

Fast growers

Plants Here are a Suitable for Softwood Cuttings in July

Fuchsia

Honeysuckle

Hebe

Lavender

Unlike hardwood cuttings that take their sweet time, softwood cuttings are already in “grow mode” so they zoom right into becoming new plants. This means you don’t have to wait forever to see your plant collection multiply.

Mini-me plants Ever have a plant with gorgeous flowers or that somehow resists all the usual garden nasties? Softwood cuttings are like cloning for plants. The new plant will be a perfect copy of the momma plant, same awesome features and all.

Plant party!

Softwood cuttings work for a ton of different Geranium (Herbaceous) Rosemary plants, from pretty flowers to cool shrubs.

So if you’re looking to expand your garden • Well-draining What you’ll need without spending a fortune, softwood cuttings compost are your best friend.

•

Basically, softwood cuttings are a low-stress, high-reward way to get more of the plants you love. It’s like a gardening cheat code!

• •

Sharp knife or secateurs Rooting powder Seed tray or small pots

•

Clear plastic bags

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Taking Softwood Cutting (Step-by-Step): Choose healthy material

Prepare the cutting

Select non-flowering shoots with fresh, green growth. Avoid woody stems.

Remove the lower leaves, leaving a couple of leaves at the top.

Pinch out the growing tip if it’s very soft.

Rooting powder

Planting the cutting

(optional): Dip the base of the cutting in rooting powder, tapping off any excess.

Fill your seed tray/pots with well-draining potting compost. Make a small hole in the compost and insert the cutting, ensuring the first pair of leaves remains above the surface. Firm the compost gently around the base.

Watering

Create a mini greenhouse

Water the compost thoroughly but avoid waterlogging.

Place a clear plastic bag over the pot or seed tray, securing it with a rubber band or twist tie.

Or use a propagation tray if you have one. This helps retain moisture and create a warm environment.

Aftercare Check moisture Regularly check the moisture levels in the compost and water when it feels dry to the touch.

Ventilation If using a plastic bag, open it slightly every day for a few minutes to allow for air circulation and prevent excessive moisture build-up.

Rooting Be patient! Rooting can take several weeks.

Signs of success include new growth appearing on the top of the cutting.

Potting on Once the cuttings have developed a good root system (around 2-3 months), they can be potted on into individual pots with fresh potting compost.

Regional Variations While July is a good time for most of the UK, keep in mind that weather patterns can vary slightly across the country.

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Explose Scotland’s most romantic rose gardens in July

BY DISCOVER SCOTTISH GARDENS

There is nothing more romantic than a rose and Scotland has some outstanding rose gardens that during summer are filled with flowers and scent.

Many of these start to flourish in July and over the coming weeks their beauty will unfold in waves of glorious petals.

To help you make the most of rose season, Discover Scottish Gardens has compiled a list of the best gardens to visit while the flowers are in full bloom.

Crathes Castle A centuries-old rose garden at Crathes Castle has been redesigned for the 21st century. Its now circular in shape, with curved seats, protected by rose-covered arbours, set around a central water feature. The entire garden is edged with lavender and the scent is contained by surrounding 300-year-old yew hedges.

The rose garden is one of eight ‘rooms’ in this internationally-renowned garden, which has some of the finest flower borders in the country.

Open daily, 10am - 5pm Crathes Castle, Banchory, Aberdeenshire AB31 5QH www.nts.org.uk

Drum Castle Drum Castle’s walled garden contains a collection of historic roses. Unlike modern varieties, which bloom well into autumn, old roses bloom only in summer, yet their beauty is all the more prized for this fleeting appearance. Many are highly scented and are followed by richly-coloured hips. Here they are planted amongst an abundance of perennial flowers, formal knots, box parterres and clipped yews.

Open daily, 10.30am - 4pm Drum Castle, Drumoak by Banchory, Aberdeenshire AB31 5EY www.nts.org.uk

Ballindalloch Walk through the gate of the walled garden at Ballindalloch Castle and visitors are greeted by the perfume of the roses that scramble up trellises and smother arbours around a central pond. Climbers and ramblers grow in profusion, trailing flower-covered stems.

As well as a rose garden, Ballindalloch has a huge rockery, a courtyard garden, smooth green lawns, tree-lined avenues and deep herbaceous borders against the castle walls.

Open Sunday - Thursday, 10am - 5pm Ballindalloch Castle, Ballindalloch, Banffshire AB37 9AX www.ballindallochcastle.co.uk

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Pitmuies House Behind this fine Georgian house lies a pair of productive walled gardens, filled with flowers and produce, with beautiful rose terraces that surround a circular pond where aquatic plants and statues emerge from the water. Tall spikes of blue delphiniums, deep herbaceous borders, lines of shiny-barked cherry trees and stately cardiocrinum are amongst the many features that have given Pitmuies a reputation as one of the most beautiful gardens in Scotland.

Open daily, 10am - 5pm Pitmuies House, Guthrie, by Forfar, Angus DD8 2SN. www.pitmuies.com

Dumfries House A new rose garden within the Queen Elizabeth Walled Garden at Dumfries House has been designed along classical lines, with the bushes planted en-masse in beds that are edged with low box hedges. The roses have been chosen for their vivid colours and rich scents. More roses scramble up arbours and cover the south-facing wall that lies behind the rose garden.

Open daily, 10am - 5pm Dumfries House, Cumnock, Ayrshire KA18 2NJ www.dumfries-house.org.uk

Carolside House Set within an elliptical walled garden is one of the greatest rose collections in Scotland. Here roses drape themselves from rope swags; they scramble up the walls, smother trellises and spill from the borders in a profusion of petals and sweet scent.

The garden is devoted to old French roses, which are prized for their beauty and their perfume. They were the favourite flower of the Empress Josephine, who famously grew them at Malmaison near Paris.

At Carolside they are grown without artificial fertilisers or pesticides and

they share the borders with lady’s mantle, strawberries and sweet peas.

Open Saturdays and Sundays, 11am 5pm Carolside House, Earlston, Scottish Borders TD4 6AL www.carolside.com

Drummond Castle During the summer the great parterre that sits below the castle is filled with red and yellow roses that echo Drummond’s heraldic colours. This 12-acre formal garden has 11 miles of box hedging and numerous topiaried yew and holly trees and from the terrace there are outstanding views over the parterre and towards the surrounding Perthshire countryside. The approach to the castle is along a mile-long tree-lined avenue and the formal gardens are surrounded by hundreds of acres of parkland.

Open daily, 11am - 5pm Drummond Castle, Muthill, Crieff, Perthshire PH7 4HZ www.drummondcastlegardens.co.uk

Monteviot A recently-replanted rose garden, filled with David Austin shrub roses, is just one of the many beautiful gardens at Monteviot House. This impressive Palladian mansion, which overlooks the River Teviot, sits amongst beautiful grounds, with extensive flowerbeds, a herb garden, a Victorian sundial, an oriental water garden and the new Garden of Persistent Imagination, with natural stone structures and an avenue of climbing roses and clematis.

Montevoit straddles Dere Street, the Roman road that connected York with southern Scotland.

Open daily, 12 noon - 5pm Monteviot House & Garden, Jedburgh, Roxburghshire TD8 6UQ www.monteviot.com

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Jobs for the garden in July One of the main focuses at the moment is keeping your plants alive during the hot summer months.

Especially post plants, these are likely to dry up quicker than those planted in the ground.

Deadheading is another essential job to keep on top of this month. Deadheading your plants will encourage more growth and keep you garden loking tidy and fresh.

Don’t forget to keep harvesting ripe fruit and vegetables particularly cut and come again lettuces.

LAwn CAre Mowing: Mow regularly, but avoid cutting it too short during hot weather.

General Maintenance Watering: Water plants thoroughly, especially during dry spells. Early morning or late evening is best to reduce evaporation.

Weed & Mulch: Keep on top of weeds to prevent them from competing with your plants for nutrients and water. Apply mulch to retain soil moisture and suppress weeds.

Watering: Water the lawn deeply but less frequently.

Feeding: Apply a summer lawn feed if the grass appears pale or patchy.

Vegetable gardens Harvesting: Regularly harvest vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers and runner beans.

Sowing: Sow fast-growing crops like radishes, lettuce, and spinach for late summer harvest.

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GREENHOUSES Ventilation: Ensure good ventilation to prevent overheating.

Shading: Use shade paint or netting to protect plants from strong sunlight.

Watering: Water regularly and consider using a drip irrigation system for consistent moisture levels.

Trees and Shrubs

Wildlife Care

Pruning: Prune summer-flowering shrubs after they have finished blooming.

Bird Baths: Keep bird baths clean and filled with fresh water.

Watering: Water newly planted trees and shrubs during dry periods.

Hedges: Avoid trimming hedges too frequently to protect nesting birds.

Mulching: Mulch around the base to retain moisture and suppress weeds.

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Vegetables seeds to sow in July

A

s the warm summer days and long hours of sunlight persist, many vegetable seeds thrive when sown during this time. Giving you a continuous supply of fresh vegetables through to the Autumn.

Those vegetables that flourish when planted in July are leafy greens and some root vegetables Leafy greens such as spinach, kale, and chard can be sown now, benefiting from the warm soil to germinate quickly while maturing just in time for cooler autumn weather.

Pak Choi

Spinach

Maturing in just 6-8

July an ideal time for

weeks, perfect for late

sowing for autumn

summer and autumn

harvests.

salads

Spring Cabbage Sown in July, they will mature over winter.

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Turnips

Beetroot

Runner Beans

Choose fast-maturing

Now last chance to sow

Sow now in a sunny

varieties like ‘Snowball’ for

beetroot seeds for a main

location, but be mindful of

autumn harvests.

crop harvest in autumn.

potential frosts.

Chicory

Fennel

Radishes

This leafy green can be

Sow seeds in July for

Quick and easy to grow,

sown in July for autumn

autumn harvests.

radishes are a great

harvests.

option for July sowing.

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Roses: a Living History The poem roses are red and violets are blue can be traced back as far as 1590 to a poet named Edmund Spenser.

The small sweet sincere poem has been used for centuries and is associated with valentine’s day and a person declaring their love for someone in a card with the poem on and this may well be a strong reason why many people today associate red roses with love.

This may also be the reason why the red rose is the most popular grown colour and the rarest rose color is blue. Most people are able to identify the queen of the flowers amongst others with its unique shape and form. It comes in some wonderful colours of pinks, yellows, whites..

Roses are often so popular that when you close your eyes you can identify the plant by its unique fragrance and it’s this fragrance

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perfumes, candles and diffusers etc.

The rose also has played political roles in our heritage and our country throughout history and one example of this is the symbol that represents the Tudor rose. The rose was used as a heraldic symbol representing the kings and queens of England. The civil war between the houses of Lancaster and York were represented by a red rose and a white rose hence the name “the war of the roses”.

Shakespeare’s favourite flower was the rose.

“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” taken from Romeo and Juliet. “Of all flowers methinks a rose is the best.” - Two Noble Kinsmen, Act II, Scene II. “The rose looks fair, but fairer we it deem. For that sweet odour which doth in it live.” Sonnet 54

that also makes it so popular. It is said Cleopatra used rose petals around the floors of her palace to seduce Mark Anthony.

As for the flowers themselves roses are recognised and classified in three different group types. Species, heritage (meaning they existed before 1867) and modern roses.

There are between 320 - 350 types of rose species which come in many variants of size and colours. Heritage roses tend to be timeless and heavily scented roses which are generally easy to maintain and disease resistant. Modern roses grow best in sunlight areas and like free draining soil. They don’t do well in shaded areas and don’t like too much water.

A rose by any other name would small as sweet...

In medieval times people used the rose for the flower’s fragrance and the oil to disguise bad odors and smells which many people bathed in rose oils to make themselves smell better. Not much has changed through time.

We still use the rose fragrance for cosmetic products today and it’s still widely used for

CHERYL DAVIS @FamilyPastUK

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Bearded Growers: The Projects BEARDED GROWERS @bearded.growers

Did you know that gardening and horticulture are not included in the UK school curriculum?

It’s time to change that! Learning about food sources and learning self-sufficiency should be fundamental lessons for children from a young age.

Introducing School Garden Success – a groundbreaking initiative aimed at bringing gardening education to schools across the UK. Our program not only benefits students but also supports teachers in implementing engaging and educational gardening activities.

and knowledge while fostering a deeper connection to nature.

The team includes Bearded Growers JJ & Bish, Lee Connelly @skinnyjeangardener, Kerry @lottie_thyme_ and Ben Shutler @plot_27b_ bristol.

Our goal is to raise enough funds to provide the School Garden Success Plan to five schools. Together, we can cultivate a greener, healthier future for all.

Join us in this mission to transform education and empower future generations. Donate today and help us bring the joy of gardening to schools across the UK! At Bearded Growers: The Projects, we’re passionate about making a difference.

Our projects aim to help fund schools and community projects that might otherwise get overlooked by larger charities. We believe that every child deserves access to handson gardening education, regardless of their school’s resources.

We’ve assembled a dedicated team ready to take on an exciting challenge – climbing Snowden in September – to raise funds for this important cause. With your support, we can empower children with valuable skills

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Our goal is to raise enough funds to provide the School Garden Success Plan to five schools.

We also have an extra reason for you to donate, up until the end of July every £1 donated will get you an entry into a fantastic gardening prize draw, with over 50 prizes up for grabs including a one day no dig course with Charles Dowding, a VegTrug, Seed bundles from Suttons, Simply Seeds UK and Cultivating Change, two tickets to a foraging walk with Thomas Radford (@eatthecountry), a mushroom kit from Caley Brothers, signed gardening books, garden centre gift vouchers plus loads more!

The prize draw is open to UK mainland residents only and it closes on the 29 th of July, to get ticket numbers please e-mail beardedgrowers@gmail.com to confirm your donation.

Just Giving Link for donations - www. justgiving.com/crowdfunding/BGProjects

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Top tips for perfect peat free planting For many home gardeners the switch from peat to peat- free bagged compost has been an easy one, but for those of us who have been gardening with peat for years, the change hasn’t always rosy!

KATE TURNER @KATEATFLOURISH

Why is it different?

A bag of peat compost contained, well, mostly peat and usually some added fertilisers but peatfree compost bags can contain up to 5 separate ingredients including: • • • • •

Wood fibre Composted bark Green compost Digestate Coir

This gives the compost a more ‘bitty ‘texture, a lighter colour and the tendency to dry out on the top whilst staying moist underneath.

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Top tips

#2 Feeding

#1 Watering Little and often is best with peat-free gardening. Rather than flooding your pots in one go, allow time for the water to be absorbed slowly. Most people have more than one pot or container so go back to the beginning and start again, this gives the compost time to soak up the moisture and stops it running straight out of the sides and bottom.

Always check before watering smaller pots as often the top can look dry but will be wet underneath. Lift your pot if you can and if its really light then it probably needs a water.

Really heavy? It should be fine.

With all the wet weather we have had this year, lots of the nutrients in our compost has been washed away and with peat-free, it seems this may be happening more quickly.

Start feeding with an fast acting all Purpose plant food as soon as you notice any yellowing on the leaves or as soon as you see flowering or fruiting.

Give hungry plants in pots a boost with a tomato feed to encourage more blooms and bigger fruits.

#3 Keep the ‘bits’ in!

Making a good quality peat free compost is a bit like making a fruit cake, using lots of different ingredients to make it extra special, but if you take out the fruit then it’s not special anymore.

A peat free compost is a bit like this, but gardeners tend to take out all the woody bits (the fruit) in peat free without realising that they are added for optimum air circulation and to help with drainage, so keep them in, just give the compost a mix through to help spread the ingredients that may have settled during storage, a bit like muesli, all the bigger bits tend to rise to the top!

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Seed gathering in July DAVID GALLACHER Follow me on Facebook

Limited Options Unlike autumn, July offers fewer options for seed collection. Most plants haven’t finished flowering and seed development by this point.

Early Bird Exceptions However, there are a few exceptions! Look out for seeds from early bloomers like poppies, calendula, or salad burnet in late July, especially in warmer regions of the UK.

Clues Seeds Are Ready Colour Change Seed pods or capsules often transform colour as they mature and dry out, turning brown, yellow, or red. This is a telltale sign that the seeds inside are nearing readiness.

Natural Release When seeds are fully ripe, they might start to detach from the plant naturally.

Keep an eye out for pods that are splitting open or seeds readily falling out.

Touch Test For some seeds like peas or beans, the pod will feel dry and papery when ripe. You can gently squeeze the pod to test for firmness – avoid picking if it feels soft or green.

How to Collect Seed Harvest on a Dry Day Moisture is the enemy during seed collection! Pick seeds on a dry day with low humidity to prevent mold growth during storage.

Secateurs or Hand-Picking The method depends on the size and type of seed. Use sharp secateurs to snip off seed heads or pods from larger plants. For smaller seeds like herbs, handpicking is the gentlest option.

Air Drying is Key Once you’ve collected your seeds, spread them out in a single layer on a clean tray or mesh screen. This allows for proper air circulation and even drying, preventing them from clumping or rotting.

Label Me! Don’t forget to clearly label your seeds with the plant name, date of collection, and any specific sowing instructions you might have.

This will be a lifesaver come planting time!

Storing Seeds Location, Location, Location Choose a cool, dry, and dark place with good ventilation for seed storage. A shed, garage, or airing cupboard can work well, as long as they are protected from extreme temperatures.

Breathable Containers are Best Avoid plastic bags that trap moisture! Opt for breathable containers like paper envelopes, cardboard boxes, or mesh bags. These allow for air circulation and prevent mold growth.

When to Sow Seeds Collected in July Early Sowers A few fast movers like salad burnet can be sown directly outdoors in late

summer (around August) for a potential late harvest.

However, this is risky and depends on weather conditions.

Research their specific seed maturity times to plan your harvest.

Spring Sowers

Throughout the summer, keep an eye on the development of seed pods on your chosen plants. Note their colour changes and any signs of drying out.

For most seeds collected in July, especially from early bloomers, they’ll need to be stored over winter and sown the following spring. This allows them to go through a natural stratification period (exposure to cold temperatures) which can improve germination rates.

Preparing for Autumn Seed Gathering July is the perfect time to get ahead of the game for the main seed gathering season in the UK, which arrives in autumn (SeptemberOctober).

Observe and Track

This will help you predict harvest windows in the autumn.

Drying Trays at the Ready Prepare trays or containers lined with paper towels or mesh for drying out your autumn seed harvest.

Here are some proactive steps you can take Plant Identification Familiarise yourself with the plants in your garden that will produce seeds in the autumn. Many vegetables, herbs, and wildflowers fall into this category.

top Tips • • •

When storing your seeds, use small envolopes that you can easily write on.

Place your envolopes in an airtight container.

However, some seeds such as Magnolia must remain damp.

E-gardeners @thewild_gardener

@life_on_the_lot

@moorsmeadow

@ happy_smallholding

@gardenwithjonny @ourplantstories_podcast

@ dig_sow_grow @skinnyjeangardener

@deadmansplot

@northwoodsfolk

@abundantgardens_

@simonakeroydgardenwriter

@emmasallotmentdiaries

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