life - GARDENING
April/May
Planting
NOW the clocks have jumped
forward and the sun has shown a
warm face, there’s plenty of extra
daylight for pottering in the garden.
Over the next two months it’s really
time to get going on summer and
autumn vegetables.
Here’s a reminder of the plants and
seeds you need to be getting in the
ground for April and May.
April
Plant asparagus, Brussel sprouts,
cabbages, calabrese, cauliflowers,
chillies, lettuces, parsley, peas,
potatoes, soft fruit bushes, sprouting
broccoli and sweet peppers.
Sow aubergines, basil, beetroot,
borlotti beans, dwarf French beans,
parsnips, radishes, rocket, runner
beans, spring onions, Brussel
sprouts and tomatoes.
cages and continuing to add waste
to the runner bean trench.
In May don’t forget to earth up
potatoes, mulch the fruit cages,
protect beans, peas and strawberries
and erect the runner bean
framework.
And don’t forget, as May is one
of the key growing months, keep
watering.
Remember to water peas and beans
sparingly. If they get too much water
before they start to flower they will
produce leaves rather than flowers.
Likewise with root crops – too much
water will encourage lots of leaf and
not so much root.
May
Plant Basil, borlotti beans, Brussels
sprouts, cabbages, cauliflowers,
celery, cucumber, leeks, runner
beans and tomatoes.
Sow Beans, beetroot, cabbages,
carrots, cauliflowers, courgettes,
cucumbers, parsnips, pumpkins,
rocket, spinach, spring onions,
sweetcorn and turnips.
Other tasks for April include digging
a trench for celery, putting up fruit
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