It’s a common misconception that one must get all vegetables planted in April and May so as not to miss the season. However, June, July and August all offer an opportunity to plant and grow veg, so keep reading…
WHAT TO PLANT IN JUNE
June is a great month to plant almost anything outside, even tomatoes. The long daylight hours and warmer temperatures mean that the plants grow quickly and well, and will crop at more or less the same time as if you had planted in May. So, if you haven’t yet got your veg patch on the go, then don’t worry about it, you can start now and you’ll soon catch up!
If you’ve already got things growing, it’s a great idea to plug any gaps with smaller veg plants – beetroots, carrots, spring onions and leeks are all ideal as they will fit between rows of other veg. Dwarf French Beans and lettuces/leaves work well too.
WHAT TO PLANT IN JULY
July is a good time to plant relatively quick growing veg plants for an August/September crop. Summer salads, spring onions and peas are great to plant this month. You can also plant extra beetroot and carrots which will crop before the first frosts come. This is also the time to plant seed potatoes for a Christmas crop, along with cabbages, cauliflowers, broccoli and kale to keep you going through autumn.
WHAT TO PLANT IN AUGUST
Often in August, a few gaps appear where potatoes have been dug up, or peas have gone over. We say, make the most of the extra space and keep planting! There’s just time for a final planting of beetroot and carrot, and you may find that planting some the oriental leaves this month gives you a longer supply of leaves than those planted earlier in the summer as temperatures tend to dip slightly and the sun is lower, so get some mizuna, rocket and mustard leaves on the go! It’s a great month for planting brassicas (kale, cabbage, broccoli), giving them a little boost of growth whilst summer is still here and then allowing them to slow down a bit over autumn for a winter crop. August is also a nice time to get a herb garden on the go as you’ll instantly have leaves to use, and the plants will get well established so that you have an earlier crop the following spring.