QUESTION
Is it now too late to plant young vegetable plants?
ANSWER
No, it's not too late. There is a vast choice of young vegetable plants that are still available at the garden centre, usually in packs of six plants. As the plants have already been started off for you this is the really easy and reliable way to grow your crop. There is something very special about harvesting your own fresh vegetables from just outside your back door.
Here are some of our favourite vegetables to grow:
Savoy Cabbage - This is a versatile variety which can be grown throughout the season without the risk of bolting. Distinctively crinkled green heads with an excellent flavour. You can plant these in June and harvest November to March.
Celery - Plant now and they will be ready to harvest in October.
Lettuce 'Lollo Rosso' - A variety of lettuce with curly leaves. Try cutting the leaves as you need them leaving the plants to grow new leaves for further harvests! A sort of "cut and come again!" You can grow this in the open ground, pots or window boxes.
Courgettes - Plant out in June and you will get a huge crop produced over a long period provided you keep cutting them when they are about 7cm (3ins).
Squash 'Butternut' - Plant now in well-manured, moist but well-drained soil in a sunny position. Harvest in mid-summer and early autumn.
Keep all vegetables well watered in dry spells and keep free from weeds. Feed regularly with a general organic plant food eg. a Liquid Seaweed Extract, this will promote healthy plants and help plants withstand environmental stress, pests and disease. Keep an eye out for slugs and snails. Circles of grit or crushed egg shells around your plants is a good way to deter them.
There are a couple of novelty tomatoes that are worth trying even if you don't have a glasshouse.
Tomato 'Tumbler' - A high fruiting variety especially for hanging baskets and containers, suitable for growing outdoors.
Tomato 'Sweet Million' - Plant outside in a sheltered sunny spot, very prolific, sweet cherry tomato, fruits ripen to an attractive shiny red. Plant all tomatoes in a sunny sheltered spot in a border. Once the little tomatoes have formed keep well watered and feed regularly with a liquid tomato feed.
Good luck with your vegetable patch and don't forget to enter our "Grow Your Own" 2012 competition when it is launched Saturday 2nd June.
I hope this has given you a few ideas, you can look forward to harvesting, tasting and sharing your home grown produce!
