BRUSSELS SPROUTS
If you have have sown your Brussels Sprouts in a seed bed, early
May (or when there is no danger of frost in your area) is the time
to transplant them to their final position. The reason for
transplanting Brussels Sprouts is that the action of transplanting
them and disturbing the roots slightly, helps them establish a
good root system. This root system is so neccessary for tall
plants which will be subject to strong autumn and winter winds.
The web page link below has some good pictures demonstrating
the beneficial effects transplanting has on Brussels Sprouts root
system.
Click here for much more information on sowing and growing
Brussels Sprouts.
CARROTS
Continue to sow carrot seeds in May to ensure an even supply of
this tasty vegetable. Carrot seed is very small making them hard
to sow in the correct amounts (see page link below for why this is
important).
Seed tapes or pelleted carrot seed is the answer, they are easy
to handle and easy to sow. Sow the seed in well dug soil that is
free from stonesThin out sowings made a few weeks earlier - check
the web page link below for why this prevents pests and disease
and how best to do it.
Click here for easy to follow instructions.
LETTUCE
Continue to sow lettuce over the next few months to ensure a
succession of them. If you can, avoid sowing them where they will
suffer from the full blast of the early afternoon sun. Lettuces do
not appreciate conditions which are too hot, it causes disease and
makes them bolt. As with carrots, sow the seed over a period of a
couple of months to avoid a glut.
Click here for easy to follow instructions.
PEAS
Maincrop varieties of Peas can be sown outside from end April
onwards up to June to ensure a succession of this tasty crop.
Click on the page link below for recommended varieties.
Remember that fully grown pea plants can cast quite a shadow over
smaller vegetables so bear this in mind when deciding where to
sow. Peas prefer a lot of sun, but also do well in partial shade
especially if that occurs in the hottest part of the day.
Click here for easy to follow instructions on sowing peas.
FRENCH BEANS
Sow French Beans outside when all danger of frost has passed - the
start of May in average areas. They prefer a well dug soil with
lots of nutrients in it. French Beans have deep root systems, so
dig deep, a spade and a half deep if possible. As soon as the
seedlings begin to appear, put the supports in place.
Click here for easy to follow instructions on sowing french
beans.
RADISH
Sow radishes over a period of months to avoid a glut. They can be
sown from mid April onwards. The best position will be sunny but
not too hot. If the plants get too hot they will bolt and run to
seed, so try to avoid placing them where they get the full sun in
the early afternoon. Sowing radish near other larger vegetables
may provide the shade radishes need in the middle of the day
Click here for easy to follow instructions on sowing radishes.
TOMATOES
If you are sowing tomato seed directly outside, mid-May is the
average time to do this. If you have plants sown indoors which are
now growing, mid May is also the time to transplant them into
their final positions. Remeber to insert stakes to support them as
they grow.
Click here for easy to follow instructions on tomatoes.
ONIONS
Onion seed and sets can still be sown outside up until the end of
May. The same goes for spring onions which should sown in
succession over the next few months to avoid a glut.
In mid May, all onions, including Japanese Onions appreciate a
feed with a nitrogen rich fertiliser. Well rotted compost will do
the best, but a handful of Growmore per square yard will also do
the trick. Keep them well weeded to avoid competition for
nutrients and water.
Click here for easy to follow instructions on growing onions.
RUNNER BEANS
Runner Beans can be sown outside in early May when all danger of
frost has passed. Any plants which were started off inside can
also be transplanted to their final positions outside in early
May.
Click here for easy to follow instructions on growing runner
beans.
RHUBARB
Rhubarb is one of the earliest vegetables to be harvested and
early May is when your hard work begins to pay off and they can be
pulled. Read the article link below to ensure you harvest them
correctly to ensure a good crop for many years.
Click here for easy to follow instructions on growing rhubarb.
MAINCROP and NEW POTATOES
Early to mid-May is the time to start earthing up maincrop and new
potatoes. This is simply drawing up a little soil from the edges
of the bed over the potatoes so that only the foliage part of the
plants are uncovered. This encourages the potatoto plants to
produce more tubers which means more potatoes for you! This
practice has the additional benefit that you can easily weed
around the plants at the same time reducing the competition for
water and nutrients
Around mid-May the potato plants will start to produce flowers,
some varieties more than others. For the best yield of potatoes
just pinch off the flowers. If you leave them on, it will reduce
the yield slightly but some potato plants produce very attractive
flowers for a month or so.
Click here for easy to follow instructions on growing
potatoes.
SWEET CORN
Sweet corn are very tender so should not be planted outside until
all danger of frost outside has passed, on average around mid May.
If you have started your sweet corn off inside (as is best in most
areas), mid-May is also the time to transplant them outside. If
you are growing sweet corn under cloche, mid-May is the time to
take away the cloche protection. Watch out for any warm days up
till the time when you take off the cloches, the sweet corn will
need a lot of ventilation if the temperatures suddenly climb.
Click here for easy to follow instructions on growing sweet
corn.
SUMMER CAULIFLOWER
If you have started off your summer cauliflower under cloches in a
seed bed, early May is the time to transplant them to their final
positions. The secret to good cauliflower is to avoid any stop in
their growth. So apply lots of garden compost around them to give
them the nutirnets they need and at the same time keep the
moisture in the soil.
Click here for easy to follow instructions.
WINTER CABBAGE
Continue to sow a succession of winter cabbage up until the end of
May to ensure the longest possible cropping period.
Click here for easy to follow instructions.
SPRING CABBAGE
Spring Cabbage should be ready for harvest up until the end of
May.
Click here for easy to follow instructions.
BROCCOLI
Continue to thin out broccoli seedlings until mid-May. These
should be thinned to around 22 cm (9 inches) apart. If you have
any garden compost to spare now is a good time to spread it around
but not touching the emerging seedlings. The compost will provide
all the nutrients they need as well as keeping weeds at bay and
preserving moisture in the soil later on in the summer.
Click here for easy to follow instructions.
BEETROOT
Continue to sow beetroot during May to avoid a glut of vegetables
later in the season. Beetroot seedlings sown earlier in the season
will be appearing soon and these should be thinned out from
mid-May onwards. Beetroot seed takes about 15 days for the
seedlings to appear, dependant on the weather conditions. Beware
of birds eating the new seedlings and cover them with some netting
if they are a particular problem in your area.
Click here for easy to follow instructions on growing
beetroot.
