As Is (June 2015)

The annoying persistent stiff, cold breeze returned a few days ago with a change of direction, now blowing from an easterly direction rather than westerly across the allotments. So what difference has that made down my plots. Yellowing of my sweetcorn plants for a start, they don't like a fresh breeze. Direct seed sowing is frustrating, trying to ensure the seeds don't blow out of my hands before I get them safely into their drills. I don't use the plastic contraptions for sowing seeds as I have found them pretty hopeless in the past. Any tall plants such as peas and beans are being blown over but not to any great extent yet. Some time ago I began the task of putting up pea sticks to support (obviously) my pea plants. Having completed both outside ends of several rows I got distracted from this task at the time. Anyway I didn't complete the job, but what has become apparent is that the plants around the perimeter of the bed are supported with sticks and as such are sheltering the rest of the plants in the middle of the bed. All are standing erect despite the breezy weather. This might be a time saving trick for the future.

Leeks L-Shaped bed (11/June/15)

Runner beans L-Shaped bed (11/June/15)

Well that's the annoying stuff out of the way, except for the fact that the birds have decimated my crop of cherries for this season, twas a good crop too. I expect they were taking revenge for the fact that they can no longer feast on my strawberries and currants since the completion of the fruit cage on No1 bed. The weather recently, despite the cold breeze has been mostly sunny with alternate overcast days, so planting, sowing and various other tasks have continued on a regular daily basis. No4 bed has been planted out somewhat, with marrows, courgettes and squashes. More successional sowing of lettuce, spring onions and brassicas has been completed. Little weeding has been needed lately, mainly due to the continuing dry weather, although another session of grass mowing and edging was done a couple of days ago.

More Strawberries Fruit Cage (11/June/15)

Currants Fruit Cage (11/June/15)

With the poly tunnel almost empty of trays and pots containing seedlings, I spent this afternoon reorganizing it. The borders had some compost added to them and were hoed over before some seed sowing took place. A large inverted plant pot was left on the ground in the back corner of the tunnel as shelter for the resident frog who currently lives in there. The first few tomatoes have just developed, inside the tunnel, since yesterday and back out on the L-Shaped bed, only 1 runner bean from the 42 sown a few weeks ago, had failed to germinate, although I found 1 well developed plant pulled from the ground this morning, possibly due to bird damage. After completing the work in the poly tunnel, I decided to replenish one of my water tanks, taking more water from the drainage ditch, utilizing a metal bucket with its handle tied to a piece of rope, I really must get around to installing a water pump, sooner rather than later. With the temperatures at about 25 degrees C this afternoon and 30 degrees C in the poly tunnel, with the door open, it was warm work. By the time the water tank was half filled it was time to spuddle off home for a cuppa.

No1 Bed (Roots)(11/June/15)

Gooseberries 2 Bed (11/June/15)

No 2 Bed Top (11/June/15)

No3 Bed Legumes (11/June/15)

2nd Batch of Broad beans Bed 3 (11/June/15)

Bed 4 Brassicas (11/June/15)

Bed 5 Marrows Squashes Bridgwater beans Broad beans (11/June/15)

First Tomatoes Appearing Poly Tunnel (11/June/15)

There's Always Tomorrow!!

Rooko's June Top 10 Tips & Tryouts

1.  Add some colour to your veggie patch (or planters/flower borders) this month by sowing some Chard. The leaves usually appear in varying shades of green with different plants having a wide variety of colours. A useful vegetable which is normally pest free and easy to grow.

2.  Believe it or not, but the E.U. (in their infinite wisdom) huh!! have deemed that the use of coffee grounds to enrich your garden soil is O.K. but using them to kill certain garden pests is NOT.

3.  O.K. so most people don't like wasps. They do cause some damage in the garden especially around fruit. They are probably of more use though, 1 worker wasp will take out around 100 aphids in a day. Being predators they will also take flies and caterpillars as food.

4. Along with Spring and Summer comes the vast armies of pests and diseases. Here's a link to some preventative measures, mainly organic. Click Here.

5.  Are you growing Ferns and/or Gardenia and like eating pickles, try pouring the pickle juice around the ferns/gardenias to promote their growth??

6. Banana skins are rich in potassium, don't throw them away, use them underneath plants or put them on your compost heap.

7.  Earthing up developing carrot plants periodically is one method of deterring carrot fly.

8.  If you intend to add manure to your planting beds remember that REGULARLY adding a lot can result in trace elements being "locked up" and not being available to crops.

9.  Rainwater is in short supply around my allotments so far this year. When watering your plots or garden do so either early morning or evenings to conserve water.

10. 

SOWING/PLANTING IN JUNE

 1.   Plant out Brassicas, Broccoli, Calabrese, Brussels Sprouts, Summer Cabbage and any beans which are in pots.
2.  Sow the following: French Beans, Runner Beans, Beetroot, Cabbage, Cauliflowers, Chicory, Courgettes, Cucumbers, Endive, Kohl-rabi, Marrows, Squashes, Swedes, Sweetcorn and Turnips.
3.  Successional sowing of certain seeds, should be done throughout the Summer.

OTHER JOBS IN JUNE

1. As June is usually warm and dry do not neglect to water plants, a good soaking of plants is better than frequent amounts of a little water.
2. Keep weeds down, hoeing will aid water to soak in also.
3.  Salad crops should be ready for harvesting, along with other early crops.
4.  Check Lettuce/Brassicas for slugs/snails especially after rain or watering.