Now is the time to clear out the greenhouse

Give it two more weeks and there will be a clear out of plants, vegetable and ornamental, from the greenhouse.

Two batches of runner beans “Firestorm” and “Celebration” comprising a dozen plants of each, will join the wigwam cane structures that await their ascent. The sweet corn and courgettes will also be planted out. They’re all currently in small pots with their roots starting to nudge through the drainage holes and would normally be transferred to a bigger size with fresh compost. However, as it’s so close to planting out time a balanced organic feed will keep them going.

Tomatoes will occupy the space created in the greenhouse border after a light dressing of fish, blood and bone has been forked in. They will stand in large pots of John Innes compost with large drainage holes. This encourages two root systems, one in the pot initially, followed eventually by another in the border. This is a guard against root diseases arising from constant border planting and it works for me.

“Gardeners’ Delight” the favourite cherry type and “Britain’s Breakfast” are on the menu this year. Both were raised from seed. The remainder are grafted onto chosen rootstocks which gives them several advantages including increased vigour, fruit production and disease resistance.

“Shirley” is reliable and this time we’ve gone for the grafted version that will grow alongside three plants of “Aviditas” which has excelled in recent years with delicious, long trusses of small plum-shaped fruits.

These are joined by “Sugargloss”, “Crimson Plum”, “Crimson Crush”, “Crimson Blush”, “Cocktail Crush”, “Buffalo Sun”, “Gourmanson”, and “Shimmer”. Ever heard of them? What will the fruits look and taste like? I really have no idea and that’s part of the attraction in growing something different!