Now, we don’t want you to panic, but in just a few weeks the weather will start to get a little cooler and, if you planted in early spring, most of your veggies will be ready to harvest. But that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying your veg patch for another few months. This is how we get more out of the garden during the late summer and autumn months.
Using a Greenhouse/Polytunnel
If you’re already growing tomatoes and chillies in a greenhouse, then wait until they’ve cropped and then pop some autumn growers, like winter lettuces and leaves, in their place. It’ll really help them to grow and give you a good supply of cut & come again salads throughout autumn and winter.
You can also plant some last minute summer veggies in pots over the next few weeks and bring them under the cover of a greenhouse when it starts to cool down.
If you don’t have a greenhouse, then try one of our Sunbubbles as an alternative – they work really well and are easy to put up.
Using Horticultural Fleece
If you’re planting summer veg or autumn cropping veg over the next few weeks, then get ready with the horticultural fleece in early autumn. Simply drape it over your plants and it’ll help to keep them warm when the weather starts to cool down, especially on colder nights.
If you’re planting up winter veg in September/October, then using horticultural fleece is a great way of keeping them a little warm and protected. You can easily make a tunnel using old hosepipe to create hoops and then drape the fleece over the top.
Using a Cloche
You can buy them or make them yourself. A cloche sits over the top of your plants acting as a mini greenhouse. It’s a great idea for starting plants off in the autumn as it offers them warmth and protection from frost, and pests. You can also use them at the end of the summer to keep smaller plants going a little longer.