5 quick jobs
1 Keep an eye on developing baby turnips, carrots, radishes and beetroot during warm spells. Be ready to pull as soon as harvestable to enjoy the most tender harvests.
2 Fruit trees may throw up suckers from their base in summer; remove these as they are the vigorous rootstock, not the named variety.
3 If peas and broad beans are in full flower, remember to keep the roots moist with regular drenchings. This will significantly increase yields in a few weeks’ time.
4 Now soil temperatures are warm, you can safely sow sweetcorn and squashes outside. Keep the seeds well watered once they’re sown.
5 planting If transplanting out crops, check distances as this affects yields. Plant at wide spacings on light soils to minimise root competition.
ONE of the key things you need to start monitoring as you head into the warmer months is watering. This means keeping potted crops well topped up – particularly your fruits. At this time of the year, leaves can grow before your eyes each day – it’s quite phenomenal! Something else that’s equally phenomenal is the rate at which young fruitlets swell.
For established fruit trees, canes and bushes in the ground, the young fruitlets can rely on an extensive root system to help take up water and nutrients. With potted plants, however, roots can have restricted access to that moisture. Make a concerted effort to keep potted fruits well watered over the next couple of months.
Simultaneously, add a high-potash liquid feed to the water, following the manufacturer’s recommended dose rate and frequency of application, in order to boost fruit development. Then just sit back – and watch those young fruits swell.