Some of you may remember that the VC Calendar has 3 seasons :-
Season No 1 = March - June
Season No 2 = July - October
Season No 3 = November - February
The summer Equinox was yesterday and we are moving into No 2 - or, as I think of it, the Second Spring. Its the time when I resow the quick maturing seeds I sowed in March - courgettes, beans, peas and some early tomatoes; salad leaves, carrots, beetroot, radish and spring onions, kale and cabbage. In fact most veg apart from those that need to be in the ground for a looooooooooooong time.
Don't want to upset you but, with the daylight hours decreasing, July is also the time to plant Spinach, Fennel and many Oriental veggies that are prone to bolting if sown to early.
Veggie, are the seeds you planted in season 1 which are still producing allowed to remain and keep pleasing the shopkeeper or do they have to step aside for the youngsters coming along from season 2, and dare I say it does the glut from season 1 then merge with season 2 making a doubleglut ? Oh to have the space
Do you ever fill to brim?
Every thing remains while its productive. Would I bin anything useful?
Take cucumbers as an example, I sowed Beth Alpha back in March. They're cropping well now but in a month or two's time they may be a bit tired. If I sow a few seeds in July, I'll have replacement plants in August to keep cropping until winter.
So I’m interested that you can sow courgettes and tomatoes now...when would they crop?
Who knows, Jay!!
At the beginning of the year I sow early bush tomatoes that will grow happily on a shelf in the GH. At the end of the year I sow the same ones as I know I can give them protection.
Courgettes aren't so difficult as you should get something in 2-3 months - so, sow now, and maybe September?
Thanks so much Veggie! Off to look through my seeds! ?
Its worth a try, Jay.
To prove that sometimes I practice what I preach
I've planted more courgettes outside,
Beth Alpha cucumbers in the GH.
I'm about to pull up the tired DFBs in the GH and plant some more DFB seedlings that are waiting in the wings
Plant the Bijou mangetout seedings outdoors.
Beetroot seedlings to go out too.
I'm going to pot up some self sown tomato seedlings that have appeared in the GH and grow them to, hopefully, extend the season.
Spring onions, radish, pakchoi, lettuce and carrots have been sown.
Need to sow more mangetout and DFBs.
Feeling positive.
A List of seeds to sow now-ish, shamelessly copied from
https://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/vegetab...TW4#Choice
Here are some other veg you can sow in mid-summer:
- Beans, dwarf French - mid July
- Beetroot - mid July
- Spring cabbage - mid Aug
- Calabrese - mid Aug
- Carrots, early - mid July
- Chicory, red - mid Aug
- Chinese cabbage - mid Aug
- Endive - late Aug
- Kale - Aug
- Spinach - Aug
- Spinach beet - Aug
I've sown some of these already but the brassicas were annihilated by little "creatures" in their seed trays - so I need to resow.
The main stuff left for me to sow/plant are Japanese onion sets when they become available, garlic likwise and broad beans. Earlier sown PSB are now ready to plant out and Spring cabbage and mooli have just germinated.
I thought I would try winter spinach but after sowing 3 weeks ago they have all bolted?