Bean bonanza

Plant out the seedling plants into this super improved soil at the end of May and keep the plant roots moist. Runner beans are climbers and will need tall canes to clamber up. In just a few weeks you will be picking tasty green beans for the kitchen.
It's gro time
Home grown vegetables can easily be grown in garden beds, amongst flowers, or even in pots or other containers placed on a balcony or other outside space.

Other info:

Short rows of beetroot, carrots, lettuce, radish, peas and turnips will give you plenty of tasty, Summer vegetables. Swede and leeks sown at the end of May will be ready for Winter harvest from November onwards.

Keep the soil between rows of vegetables clear of weeds to reduce competition. Many people find that Weedol Gun! or Weedol Gun! MAX does a quick and effective job without hours of backbreaking hand weeding. Earth up potatoes as the foliage pops through the soil surface to protect it from potential frost damage.

HARVEST REGULARLY

Home-grown vegetables picked when young and small will always taste better than old and tough. So pick green beans and peas regularly, pull carrots, beetroot and radishes while they are small and cut cabbages and broccoli while tender.

If you do nothing else, increase the nutrient reserve in your soil by sprinkling with Growmore. A more organic alternative would be Miracle-Gro Organic Choice Fruit & Vegetable Plant Food. It's rich in balanced nutrients all derived from naturally occurring sources, so it's 100% chemical free. Just what your veggies are after to grow big and strong!

Onion Sets: Sowing vegetable seeds is a great start to the year but even easier in the case of onions and shallots is to buy them as 'sets' - small young onions already grown for you. They should be given as long a growing period as possible. Sow them thinly in a tray of Levington Seed & Cutting Compost that has been watered and allowed to drain thoroughly. Cover with fleece (polythene will do but isn't s good as moisture gathers under it) and leave in a warm light position to encourage germination. When the seedlings are 6cm (2inches) tall they need to be transplanted so each plant has room to develop. Onion sets can be straight planted outside later in the year.

Do you know your Winter Onions?

Everyone knows about Onions but did you know you know about Winter Onion sets?
Formerly known as "Japanese Onions" they can be planted in the Autumn for lifting in the Spring.
They can be very successfull - well worth a try!

Cabbages etc: For an early summer crop, some seeds such as cabbages, can be sown indoors on a windowsill and moved outside when the risk of frost has passed. Seedlings will germinate in a few days and then can be picked out into trays of all purpose compost. These seedlings will be ready to plant outside in May... and you’ll be harvesting them at the start of summer.

Growing for winter

Even in Autumn you can sow seeds of winter vegetables such as leek, brussels sprout, Cabbage, Lettuce etc . Sow in drills, 2cm deep in a seed bed that has been improved with some Multi-Purpose Compost. When big enough to handle, transplant the seedlings to their final growing positions and feed with Fruit & Vegetable Plant Food.