June: the midsummer month. When the last soft seedlings can grow outside. When courgettes and squashes can be sown direct. These are the days of high sun and garden glory.
Some experts will tell you to sow two courgette or summer squash seeds together and later remove the weaker one. I have never had that plant killer touch. So I try to share out the love and sun. I agree that they require mad amounts of space, along with organic feed and water. We use liquid seaweed, but I am still a little undecided about growing them this year as we get to know the new soil.
We will sow and grow summer herbs. Coriander, chervil, parsley and dill are all good to go now. Repeat sowing is best for coriander. Remove any flowers for more leaf if you want.
Sow salad greens and radishes in any space that’s starting to open up when, say, you lift your first new potatoes (one of the truly great vegetable gardening perks). But hold back on rocket and lettuces for a while to wait on slightly cooler days.
Sow calendula for colour and companion planting. Butterflies and other bugs will thank you. We will soon sow Italian chicories for autumn joy and leave a few to overwinter and flower. Maybe my favourite blue.
You can do a second sowing of French beans this month to extend the cropping season.
Remember, too, the beets and broccolis. June is likely the last month to sow maincrop carrots. We are pondering growing them again in our new sandy soil.
Tomatoes, too, can be planted out now. The allotment site has long been home to blight, so we’ll wait to see if this has gone with the old earth.
June is one of the great gardening months. Remember to take time to enjoy it.
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