November the best month for planting

November is our best time for planting our summer garden. October is always tempting, but only if you have a greenhouse. Some of us still have lettuce that have been growing over winter, red variety mainly, but they are starting to become a little bitter. We need some fresh green stock plant only a few at a time. If you have purchased a punnet of six, only plant out three and keep these watered out of direct sun. Plant out in the open garden in two to three weeks time. This way you won't get a glut.

Plant out your corn in blocks in a warm spot without too much wind and make sure you have enriched the soil with plenty of manure or sheep pellets. Corn likes plenty of food. As the old saying goes, you only get out what you put in.

My runner beans that I leave in every year are starting to push their shoots through. This tells me the soil is ready for me to plant more butter beans for my neighbour who works long hours and has a lovely ornamental garden but no time for vegetable growing. She loves butter beans. No need to top and tail, steamed or eaten raw. I like French beans and the more robust flavour of the old-fashioned scarlet runner or any climbing bean.

Peas will be the next. I have climbing peas that are almost ready to eat. They were planted months ago, very slow, but have put on a burst of growth in the last few weeks. Cool temperatures are what peas prefer so sow some snow peas as they are more resistant to powdery mildew that occurs in summer.

For those that have planted out your tomatoes do keep an eye on the weather forecasts as they hate being chilled at any time. Even if you have waited until November they will catch up, so don't feel as though you have left it too late.

I say it every year: put a tablespoon of milk powder into the bottom of the hole you have dug. This will act as a fungicide. Comfrey leaves if you have them gives your tomatoes a boost of energy as they break down, and release all the minerals the comfrey has in its flesh.

When watering make sure the water with added liquid food is warm and mix with warm water whether you make your own liquid feed or buy a commercial mix.

When they start to flower, feed them more often. Tomatoes are very hungry and thirsty. As you plant put in stakes straight away so you don't damage the roots.

How many should we grow depends on how many we are going to feed. Some for salads, sandwiches, enough for sauces, chutney, soups. What about a couple of those cherry tomatoes in large pots or buckets to sneak while out gardening? We have to keep our energy up while all this work is going on.

We haven't started on our cucumbers, peppers, and chillies if you have room. Cucumbers are worth growing and to save room grow them up a trellis. This way bees can access the flowers better and the shade this creates is good for lettuce.

Enjoy your garden.