Planting, planting, planting!

This is my main planting month because there’s no more risk of frost. All the tender veg, dahlias and half hardy annuals can now go in. Before I can plant anything on the allotment, though, I have to weed the beds and some took rather a long time. I’ve managed to get all the tender veg planted, runner beans, climbing French beans, marrows, squashes,

courgettes and sweetcorn. Peas have also been planted. I grow a tall variety (‘Show Perfection’), so I have to fix up a framework of canes as I do for runner beans. I’ve sown dwarf French beans direct in the bed but sowed some in pots to fill any gaps in the rows.

I’ve also planted brassicas, cabbage, cauliflowers, sprouts and calabrese and covered the bed with nets to keep the butterflies off. Before I could put the nets on, though, the pigeons had a go at some of the cabbages. I don’t plant all the beds as I leave room for further sowings later. Potatoes, onions, leeks and shallots are growing nicely and the shallots have been reduced to three per clump.

We’re still picking rhubarb and the overwintered onions have mostly been harvested. I’ve also been planting dahlias and annuals, both on the allotment and at home – hopefully they’ll all be in by the time you read this!

I planted the communal containers on the allotments in front of the cabin where we have our meetings. We had a tea party for the Platinum Jubilee and I was able to plant them in time for this. At home I’ve planted the border round the front lawn but still have some to do round the back lawn.