Now that spring and summer 2016 is in full swing, us green fingered folk can happily while away the day in the back garden, tending to our blooms and willing our vegetables patches to come up trumps. If you’re on the lookout for a summer garden calendar, look no further: here’s what you should be planting over the next few months to keep your garden green and plentiful…
What to plant in May:
Now that the temperatures have stopped falling and warm days are here to stay, you don’t need to worry about frost. You may already have started planting your vegetables and flowers from seed, but if not, you’ll find that May’s average temperature actually makes your soil perfect for sowing seeds!
Opt for summertime staples such as cucumbers; they grow fast, but be sure to only grow a variety that suits the size of your garden as vine cucumbers need more space than bush cucumbers. You could also plant heat-loving herbs such as basil, oregano and sage – perfect additions to your tomato sauce dishes this summer!
You can also plant flower bulbs now if you didn’t have a chance to get them in the ground over the last couple of months: dahlias, sweet williams and foxgloves ought to fair well this late on.
What to plant in June:
While your flower seeds should now be in the ground, there are some vegetables that are happy to be planted in June’s warm soil. Carrots can be planted now and (though they’ll take a while to grow) they’ll produce a beautiful late-summer crop, perfect for early autumn broths.
Or, plant some sweetcorn: this crop loves warm soil so should rarely be planted in the UK before late May or early June onwards. Get a fast-growing variety in the ground now and you’ll be able to enjoy barbequed corn on the cob by the last week of July.
What to plant in July:
If you find yourself planting vegetables in July, you need to be prepared for the fact that most of them aren’t going to be ready to harvest during the summer. However, planting now means you’ll have an abundance of produce ready for September and October’s dinner table – a welcome addition on a blustery autumnal evening! Broccoli can be planted now and harvested well into November, and planting kale in mid July through to mid August will ensure you’ve plenty of dark leafy greens for your winter smoothies.
What to plant in August:
Late summer is the perfect time to embark on your second gardening season, replicating the earlier success of your springtime efforts. August is the perfect time to to plant flower bulbs that you’re expecting to bloom in Autumn, so get shopping at retailers like Bakker to choose the blossoms you’d like to see to cheer up those impending grey skies. Finally, late summer is the best time to plant your autumn and winter vegetables, such as lettuce, spinach and beans. Get digging in the earth in August if you want to enjoy a glut of delicious, nutritious produce as the days draw in.
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