My vege patch is coming into its own now, I’ve been picking a few bits and pieces for a while, broad beans, lettuce, salad leaves, radish, spinach and the like, but coming into July and there’ll be a much bigger selection: French and Runner beans, carrots, beetroot, courgettes and yummy tomatoes (and I bet come August there’ll be more than I can use or give away!).
To get the best out of your vegetables pick them young – the flavour and texture is so much better and you’ll find with things like courgettes they’ll keep producing more and more. Whereas vegetables like radish, salad onions and lettuce are best sown every three weeks to give you successive cropping sow all the way through to August and you’ll be picking right up to October.
And if you’re quick (before July is out) you could sow some peas – go for “Kelvedon Wonder” or “Pioneer” for an Autumn crop.
If you’re growing sweet corn look out for roots that appear at the base of the stem and are exposed, cover them with potting compost or mulch with well-rotted garden compost. In dry weather keep on top of watering, which is really important at the flowering stage and once the cobs start to form, use some liquid feed.
Tomatoes will also benefit from regular even watering and feeding, irregular watering will lead to the fruit splitting or may cause blossom end rot which is where the bottom of the tomato turns black and rots. Spraying the flowers in the morning and evening with water helps the tomato fruit set especially if it’s been very dry.
And looking ahead to next year!.. July – August is the time to sow spring cabbage and turnips (for Spring greens).