Job assignments scheduled for June
June marks a busy time on allotments as gardeners prepare for a bountiful summer and autumn harvest. The warming soil and longer daylight hours provide an ideal environment for fast-growing crops, succession sowing, and the planting of warm-season crops.
Salad leaves, spring onions, and beetroot are ideal for succession sowing throughout June. Beetroot can be sown directly every few weeks, while spring onions grow well in rows or modules. Thin seedlings to allow space and harvest young for best flavor.
Herbs such as basil, coriander, and dill thrive in June’s warmth. Basil particularly enjoys heat and can do well in polytunnels. Sow coriander and dill little and often, keeping them well-watered, and harvest regularly.
Chillies and peppers, if started earlier indoors or in a greenhouse, can be planted out into growbags or beds in a polytunnel during June. Stake them early to support fruiting as they prefer consistent warmth and light.
Quick-maturing carrot varieties can still be sown directly into fine soil in June. Protect seedlings with mesh from pests and harvest young for better flavor. Turnips are also suitable for sowing in June.
Succession crops such as radish, lettuce, spinach (bolt-resistant varieties), dwarf French beans, and kohl rabi can be planted throughout June to ensure continuous harvests.
Cauliflower, calabrese, and kale should be sown now for autumn and winter harvests. This includes late sowings of sugar snap peas and the last batch of peas for spring. Potatoes and autumn fennel crops can also be planted in June to stagger harvest times.
For allotment tasks, a good soak is more beneficial than regular sprinkling for watering crops, particularly recently planted tomatoes and cucumbers. Prioritizing watering for these plants is advised. A high potash tomato food should be used to encourage more flowers and fruits on tomatoes in growing bags.
Hoeing weeds is important to dry out annual weed seedlings on the soil. The Kew Gardens Hoe from Spear & Jackson is a recommended hoe for this task.
Liquid Seaweed Feed can be purchased from Suttons to provide essential nutrients for your crops. Suttons also sells vegetable plugs, carrot seeds, and carrot fly protection, which is necessary when sowing carrots.
Strawberry plants can be protected from birds with netting, and straw mulching can protect strawberries from mud splashes. A Sankey Green Plastic Watering Can can be bought from B&Q for watering your crops.
Hoses and reels can be purchased from reputable brands like Hozelock. Asparagus harvesting should stop this month, but peas, gooseberries, strawberries, salads, beetroot, and radishes can be harvested.
In summary, June is a great month to focus on fast-growing crops, extending harvests through succession sowing, and planting warm-season crops like peppers and chillies outdoors if conditions allow. This approach maximizes productivity in your allotment through summer and into autumn.
Lifestyle and home-and-garden enthusiasts should consider succession sowing a variety of crops, such as salad leaves, beetroot, radish, lettuce, spinach, dwarf French beans, kohl rabi, and turnips, throughout June for a continuous harvest in their garden or allotment. Home-gardeners can also plant warm-season crops like basil, coriander, dill, chillies, and peppers for a bountiful summer and autumn harvest.
