Page 42 - Simply Vegetables Summer 2022

I always sow cabbages,
cauliflowers and broccoli
in 3 inch (7.5 cm.) pots,
three or four seeds in each
and thin them to one when
they germinate., At this
time of year they should be
winter and spring varieties.
For winter cabbages I mentioned January King and Tundra last month which are both widely available. The next most widely available variety is Savoy King (R, Sh, F). The most popular spring cabbages are Durham Early (R, Sh, B.), Wheeler’s Imperial (D, S, Sh.) and Winter jewel (D,
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July
Most of the seeds that I mentioned for sowing the last two months can still be sown. All can be sown direct outside
in drills but as I have said before, there are some that I prefer to sow in cell trays or pots, but this is just a personal choice. Those that I always sow in drills are turnips, swedes, salad onions and radish. Turnips and swedes will not grow as large as if sown in April
more popular than the rest. By far the most popular variety of broccoli is Early Purple Sprouting which most suppliers sell. For winter cauliflowers there are Aalsmeer (most suppliers), Triumphant (Sh, B, F.) and Jerome (M, Sh.). Please see the end of this article for the key to these suppliers.
If you have sown seeds in batches for succession as I have suggested before, you
be guaranteed virus free. If you already grow strawberries, I mentioned last month about putting straw under the plants to keep the fruit off the ground and put a net over them, so if you didn’t do it in June, do it now.
While on the subject of fruit, there are some that need pruning now. Plums and cherries should not be pruned in winter to prevent silver leaf disease so now is the time to do it. All you need to do is to cut out any dead, diseased, damaged, or crossing and rubbing branches. Some pruning of gooseberries, and red and white currants
is done in winter, but this month, cut back side shoots to 4 or 5 leaves from the base. With summer raspberries, wait until they have finished fruiting then cut down the canes that have fruited and tie the rest to the wires.
Cordon apples and pears can also be pruned if you live in the South. Further North, leave it till next month. Cut 9 inch (23cm.) long side shoots to the third leaf and lateral side shoots to the first leaf.
I must mention pests and diseases again because we need to keep our eyes open for them. Greenfly can attack a wide range of plants. Blackflies have a liking for beans. One way of preventing them in broad beans is to pinch out the top of the plants because they usually go for the new growth at the top.
I mentioned spraying against potato blight last month. If, in spite of this, or if you haven’t sprayed them, you notice the tell tale brown patches on the leaves it is best
or May, but they will be a usable size. Those that I prefer to sow in cell trays are lettuce, rocket, kohl rabi, corn salad, endive, spinach, and beetroot.
I sow carrots in drums and buckets as I have explained before.
will have plants at different stages of development. Seeds sown in drills need thinning in stages until they are in their final positions. If sown early enough you may already have some in their final positions.
Seeds sown in either cell trays or pots need thinning to one per cell or pot, and if these were sown early, you may have plants ready for planting. Just rake in some general fertiliser before planting. Also, if
you are planting brassicas
(cabbages, cauliflowers etc.), cover them with netting to keep off
the butterflies, as I have said before. Strawberries should be planted either this month or next to allow plants to get
established before the cold weather comes. They should start cropping the following June or July. Strawberries are prone to virus so it is important that you get your plants from a reputable supplier because they will
Strawberries should be planted either this month or next to allow plants to get established before the cold weather comes
S, Sh.). There are several varieties of Chinese cabbage but not one variety is
Falco turnips
Lettuce planted in polytunnel
42 Simply Vegetables