In the current heatwave, it feels like maintaining – and hydrating – your lawn is a much bigger, more time-consuming task than planting or adding to it.
And while it is around about the time to think about planting winter crops like carrots, courgettes and swedes, there’s also time to plant tasty, fast-growing plants like spring onions and radishes in time for a tasty, late summer salad.
So, we thought we’d share the best vegetables, herbs and even flowers you should ideally plant before July begins – along with some handy tips.
What can I still plant?
Ah, home-grown food. Aside from being great for the planet, veggies from your own garden just feel like they taste better, right?
And while it seems like the best time to plant your favourite foods is spring, there are plenty of tasty options left to sow in the summertime.
Of course, some veggies are slow burners (like parsnips and turnips). Others, like radishes, can still be grown in time for a late summer salad.
There are lots of factors to consider when you’re thinking about planting in June, especially for the more ‘last call’ options.
Factors like the recent heatwave, your location in the UK, and your soil type can all influence how well late planters grow, so make sure to double-check these before you disturb your gorgeous garden.
With that said, though, here are just some of the best veggies and herbs some of us should consider getting in the ground now:
- Florence fennel should be done growing by about August to October.
- It’s more or less your last chance to plant French or runner beans – make sure you pop these into prepared beds with supportive canes. These are easier to grow in the South at this time of year.
- You might be able to get away with planting Savoy cabbage (but not less hardy varieties) – this is more likely to work if you’re in the cooler North.
- You’ve probably missed the boat for purple-stem broccoli – but tasty Calabrese can be planted until late June, and is the type of ‘broccoli’ most of us are used to.
- Don’t delay planting carrots. The RHS advise planting between late April to early July.
- Gardeners World says you can plant cauliflower between May to July, but the RHS put sowing season at March to May. I, for one, am planning to get mine planted ASAP
- If you want to add some tasty herbs to your late summer salads, basil, coriander, chervil, dill, marjoram and parsley will all be ready for you by August.
- There’s still time to plant turnips and kohl rabi in time for a winter crop.
- Spring onions will be ready in about eight weeks – again, making it your last chance to grow these in time for late summer salads.
- Beetroot, lettuce, pak choi and radishes are still good to go, though you should try to keep them in the shade – the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) warns that sunburnt leaves can taste extra-bitter. Gem lettuces are faster to grow than iceberg options.
Other jobs for this month include treating tomatoes and potatoes against blight, and moving indoor-sown veggies – like peppers, artichokes, forced strawberries, and winter brassicas – outdoors.
You should also consider protecting new growth from flourishing slugs, start picking yellowing leaves off of brassicas, and watch out for asparagus beetles.
What can we say, a gardener’s work is never done.