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August on Your Plot

Harvest crops as they mature.

Lay out mature Onions  in the sun

Transplant Kale to it’s final position if not already done.

Plant outdoor cabbages, cauliflowers, leeks and sprouting broccoli

During hot and sunny spells, ensure fruit trees have plenty of moisture at their roots by watering profusely around root structure.

Water other crops at least once a week if it doesn’t rain and water well.

Continue to pick  runner beans before the seed pods begin to bulge (or the skins toughen and get stringy).

Pick them regularly to keep the beans coming..

Avoid watering potato and tomato leaves to try and avoid Blight at this time of year

Lift some potato plants, to gauge progress. Keep main crop plants well watered, as dry conditions reduce yield and potato size.

Sow potatoes in sacks now for Christmas crops! Perforate bottom of sack then half fill with potting compost, space out 3 to 4 tubers and cover with 5 cm of compost. Earth up stems with more compost as they grow. Move under cover at signs of the first frosts.

Lettuces and other salad crops:  

Succession sow more lettuce, rocket, land cress, corn salad, and other salad leaves for an ongoing supply in the coming autumn.

September on Your Plot

Things to be doing during September:

Leave asparagus foliage until it goes brown to build up the plant for next year

Watch out for blight on potatoes and tomatoes.

Protect autumn raspberries from the birds with netting.

Cut down fruited canes of summer raspberries and blackberries and tie in new stems for next year.

Prune stone fruit trees - plums. cherries etc - and blackcurrant's

Watering, watering, …. Remember it’s the roots that need the water not the leaves.

Wait for onion leaves to fall over naturally then lift and leave to dry outside or in out of rain.

After clearing crops don’t leave bare soil. Cover with compost/manure or sow green manure.

Earth up celery to blanch stems.

If it stays dry - water cabbages, brussels, cauliflowers etc and mulch to preserve the moisture.

A Which? trial indicated that onion sets are best planted just below the surface without the tips

showing.

Just time to sow spinach, spring onions, winter lettuce and other salad crops

Protect late sown carrots against carrot fly - try fleece.

October / November on Your Plot

Move or plant trees

Check tree ties

Blackberry family – most varieties - tie in new growth to fruit next year and prune out fruited growth – although you could leave some if new growth is scarce

Sow over-winter broad beans at end October (Aquadulce Claudia is recommended)

Sow over-winter peas (such as Meteor and Douce Provence)

Plant spring cabbages (plant deep with lowest leaves at ground level)

Support and earth up Brussels sprouts to avoid wind damage

Cover cleared ground with manure or compost – or sow green manures

Plant over-winter onion and shallot sets and garlic

Finish planting over-winter salad crops

Cut down asparagus foliage as soon as it turns yellow - and apply mulch

Do formative pruning of apples, pears and other tree fruits – but not stone fruits such as cherries and plums.

Divide rhubarb

Stop winter moth damage to fruit trees using grease bands around the trunks

Remove yellowing leaves on Brussels sprouts to prevent grey mould from becoming troublesome.

Reduce the spread and the overwintering of disease and pests by removing all plant debris

Mulch under fruit trees and bushes with either garden compost, woodchip or bark chippings.

Plant spinach seedlings.

ant trees

Check tree ties

Blackberry family – most varieties - tie in new growth to fruit next year and prune out fruited growth – although you could leave some if new growth is scarce

Sow over-winter broad beans at end October (Aquadulce Claudia is recommended)

Plant spring cabbages (plant deep with lowest leaves at ground level)

Support and earth up Brussels sprouts to avoid wind damage

Cover cleared ground with manure or compost – or sow green manures

Plant over-winter onion and shallot sets and garlic

Finish planting over-winter salad crops

Cut down asparagus foliage as soon as it turns yellow - and apply mulch

Do formative pruning of apples, pears and other tree fruits – but not stone fruits such as cherries and plums.

Divide  rhubarb

Stop winter moth damage to fruit trees using grease bands around the trunks

Remove yellowing leaves on Brussels sprouts to prevent grey mould from becoming troublesome.

Reduce the spread and the overwintering of disease and pests by removing all plant debris

Mulch under fruit trees and bushes with either garden compost, woodchip or bark chippings.

          June :    Committee Meeting

          Apr:     Committee Meeting

          May :   Plant Sale

June on Your Plot

Beetroot

Continue sowing beetroot seeds in June – perhaps a few at the beginning of the month and a few at the end so that in September and October you’ll have some to harvest that haven’t grown too large. They can be stored for the winter if necessary.

Carrots

This is the last chance to sow main crop varieties that will be ready for harvesting in September or October

Peas

The beginning of June is probably your last chance to sow maincrop peas, mangetout, and snap peas. Towards the end of the month switch to a fast-maturing early variety. These should be ready for harvesting in about September.

Lettuces

Sow in situ and thin out if the seedlings are too crowded. High temperatures may hinder germination – which is  why seeds are best sown at the end of the day,

Turnips

Sow another batch for harvesting in August or September.

Leaf vegetables

Continue sowing seeds of Swiss chard and spinach beet.

Radishes

Sow a few salad radishes in small quantities throughout the month to replenish the existing crop.

Spring onions

Sow a couple more batches of seeds during the month to ensure you have a continuous supply through the autumn.

Keep the plot well watered during hot sunny spells.

Avoid watering potato and tomato leaves to try and avoid Blight at this time of year

Thin out apples to improve size and quality - maybe to just one apple per cluster

Water greenhouse crops regularly - with tomato feed or equivalent each week

Finish planting tender veg outside - such as beans and tomatoes

Stop harvesting asparagus in late June - leave foliage until it dies down - apply general fertiliser if growth is weak

Check for mould and remove affected fruit - especially strawberries

Plant out celery - water well and keep moist

If pears turn black - remove and destroy - pear midge

July on Your Plot

Now is the time to begin to harvest:

Courgettes, mustard seeds, ridge cucumber, peas, sweetcorn, French beans (dwarf), celery and garlic.

Stop watering onions .

Transplant kale to its final position.

Ensure fruit trees have plenty of moisture at their roots

Runner beans - water once a week if it doesn’t rain and water well.

Pick any early runner beans before the seed pods begin to bulge (or the skins toughen and get stringy). Pick them regularly to keep the beans coming.

Keep the plot well watered during hot sunny spells.

Avoid water on potato and tomato leaves to reduce the risk of blight at this time of year

Lift some potato plants, to gauge crop development.

Keep main crop potatoes well watered, as dry conditions reduce yield and potato size.

Plant potatoes now for Christmas crops!

Lettuces and other salad crops: succession sow more lettuce, rocket, land cress, corn salad, and other salad leaves for an ongoing supply in the autumn.

Harvest globe artichokes before scales open

Prune stone fruit trees (cherries, plums etc)

Sow overwinter crops such as Pak Choi, spring cabbage

Pick courgettes before they become cabbages

Lift and dry garlic once leaves start to turn yellow

Protect veg from carrot fly, flea beetle etc using fleece

Lift and dry onions and shallots once tops start to fall over - no need to wait for leaves to yellow

Prune trained apples and pears (such as step-over and cordon) to keep shape and let light and air in to the crop

Complete the June drop by thinning out apples to no more than 2 fruits per group

Jobs to Do December on Your Plot

Harvest

There’s a surprising number of crops that can be available to harvest in December. Winter brassicas such as Kale, cabbage and cauliflowers - best harvested when ready now.

Any carrots left should come up to prevent pest damage in the ground for storage in damp sand or peat in the shed. Parsnips and Swedes can be lifted and stored the same way although they are very hardy and may be left if the ground if not needed. You can always cover them with fleece or straw to help stop the ground freezing them in.

You can leave leeks until you need them – they are hardy plants.

Sowing and Planting in December on the Vegetable Plot:

There’s not a lot you can plant out in December but you can plant garlic and onion/shallot sets as well as sowing broad beans. We have all these in stock (if we haven’t sold out). Garlic benefit from a period of cold, which prompts growth later. It doesn’t like to sit in water so plant the clove on top of about an inch of sand filling above with fine compost. This ensures good drainage and stops rotting. If the ground is very wet and cold then you can start these crops off in pots for later planting. Choose the right variety of broad bean – the most popular we sell for this time of year is Aquadulce Claudia.

Onion seeds sown towards the end of the month will make excellent plants and bulbs, benefiting from the longer growing period. Sow them in seed boxes in the greenhouse.

Jobs to Do

Remove any yellowing leaves from your winter brassicas – plus any dead leaves on the ground..

Wildlife especially the pigeons will be on the lookout for food, , so net vulnerable plants like brassicas.

Take hardwood cuttings of soft fruit. Gooseberries, red, white and black currants.

It’s a good time to split rhubarb , dig up the old crowns and split from the top down with a spade into three or four. Leave on the surface so they get frosted before planting out in early Spring.

Check that ties and staking are secure for young trees.

You can plant bare rooted fruit trees and bushes in December.
Prune fruit bushes and free-standing apple and pear trees over winter. Leave cordons etc until the summer.

Mulch any bare soil – green or real manure, garden compost etc. If there are weeds you can cover them with cardboard topped with manure.

Check any plants in frames or greenhouses - remove dead foliage and any signs of mould

Bare rooted plants - now is the time to plant

Finish cutting down asparagus to the ground, remove any weeds and then mulch

The traditional treatment of autumn raspberries is to prune out all shoots around this time and wait for the new growth to come in the spring. An alternative is just to tip back the growth now - this will lead to some early fruit on those stems in the summer. You can then prune back the fruiting canes leaving the new spring growth to produce the usual autumn crop. You should by now have cut out the fruiting growth of summer raspberries leaving the new shoots tied in ready for next year.

Jobs for Jan/Feb

Mulch bare soil if not already done - compost or chippings.

Cover areas of weed growth with cardboard topped with a layer of chippings.

Plant garlic that you haven’t had time to do yet.

Sow broad beans in pots in February.

Sow tomatoes for later growing under cover (too early for outside crops).

Prune apples and pears - remove any dead, crossing or weak growth. Shorten this year’s growth.

Prune gooseberries, red/white currants - open up centres of bushes, cut back side shoots to 3 buds.

Prune blackcurrants - remove third of old wood to encourage new growth.

Feed fruit bushes with potash.

Obtain and chit seed potatoes (lay out in light cool place).

Force rhubarb by covering some roots with straw plus a large bucket.

Cover top/front of peach and similar trees grown against a wall with plastic to protect against leaf curl.

Remove remains of previous crops to discourage slugs.

Cover some ground with plastic to protect from (more) rain and to warm up for early sowing.

Time to apply lime if needed- depending on what you plan to grow.

Start serious early sowing inside in February.

You don’t have to dig - look online for Charles Dowding and his no-dig approach.

Thanks to RHS and WHICH?

Jobs for March

If not dealt with in February -

Mulch bare soil, if not already done as long as the ground isn’t frosty.

Sow tomatoes for later growing under cover (too early for outside crops).

Prune apples and pears -remove any dead, crossing or weak growth. Shorten this year’s growth.

Prune gooseberries, red/white currants - open up centres of bushes, cut back side shoots to 3 buds.

Prune blackcurrants - remove third of old wood to encourage new growth.

Feed fruit bushes with potash.

Obtain and chit seed potatoes (lay out in light cool place).

Sow early peas inside in plugs or guttering for planting out as soon as ready

Sow broad beans inside if the ground is too cold and wet outside - plant later

Sow early carrots in deep pots inside.

Sow courgettes in modules.

Then -

Control slugs and snails. Which? tests show organic ferric phosphate pellets are just as effective as ones based on metaldehyde - although they are expensive - but you don’t need many.

Plant potatoes as soon as the soil isn’t wet and cold - see our notes (LINK)

Plant sets if the soil is suitable - otherwise start off in modules

Mulch around fruit trees and bushes to suppress weeds and retain moisture (it will get dry sometime).Plant out peas and broad beans sown inside earlier and sow more outside if the soil allows.

Plant strawberries if the ground is suitable

Sow a few lettuce seeds inside every 2 or 3 weeks for a continuous supply.

Sow herbs inside

Sow peas in modules to provide get pea shoots

Summary –

Sow indoors
broad beans; spinach; lettuce; peas; onions; early brassicas (cabbage, calabrese, cauliflower)
turnip; radish; parsley; coriander; dill; beetroot; tomatoes for indoor growing
celery; celeriac

Sow outdoors
broad beans; garlic; lettuce; spinach; peas; onions; salad onions; parsley; carrots

Thanks to Which? and RHS

Jobs for April

Prick out and pot on seedlings. Some (such as brussels sprouts) may look ok but still suffer long term if they become pot-bound at any time.

Feed spring bulbs - remove spent flowers - leaves should be left to die down

Move plants out of the heat of greenhouses but protect them especially overnight. Plants sown indoors earlier may be planted out but cover with fleece if frosts or cold winds are forecast.

Sow/plant outdoors (if the ground is suitable) - broad beans, carrots, leeks, lettuce, potatoes, onions, brassicas, parsley, leaf beet.

Sow indoors - celeriac, spinach, turnip (do all these soon), tomatoes, celery, peas,, radish, coriander, dill, beetroot.

Wait for some warmth before sowing courgette, squash, sweetcorn, tomatoes, melons inside for outdoor growing. Leave French and runner beans until later.

Watch out for aphids, vine weevils, slugs/snails. If you squash aphids the resultant mess attracts beneficial insects to attack those pests you miss.

If you are potting-up tomatoes or the cabbage family - remember that they should be planted deep - with the lowest leaves just at soil level.

Plants permanently in containers - re-pot if they are small enough otherwise remove some of the surface compost and top-dress with new. Use a compost mix with at least some soil (such as JI3).

It can help to mix in some controlled-release fertiliser with your compost - helps if you tend to forget later feeding.

Mulch to retain moisture - water beforehand if it's become really dry.

Protect early blossom from bad weather (for example using fleece).

Keep on top of weeds before they take over.

One often recommended test to check whether or not the ground is warm enough is to sit your bare skin on it!

May on your plot

Watch out for late frosts. Protect tender plants

Earth up potatoes (if that’s your way of growing them)

Plant now any potatoes still remaining

Plant out summer bedding at the end of the month

Water early and late to get the most out of your water, recycle water when possible

Regularly hoe off weeds - or hand-weed to avoid damaging plants

Open greenhouse vents and doors on warm days

Mow lawns weekly (consider leaving some areas uncut for wildlife)

Check for nesting birds before clipping hedges

Lift and divide overcrowded clumps of daffodils and other spring-flowering bulbs

Watch out for viburnum beetle and lily beetle grubs

Sow little and often for a succession - carrot, beetroot, salad

Protect fruit and brassicas from birds

Protect beans and other newly planted crops from wind and overnight cold

Check gooseberry plants - remove any sawfly caterpillars

Install pheromone traps on apple and pear trees to control codling moth

Plant out brassicas deep and firm well in.