Page 33 - Oundle Life May 2024

SEASONAL
SOWING
Tender Vegetables
May is the time to sow and plant tender vegetables like runner and French beans, sweet corn, courgettes, squash, pumpkins, and marrows.
They can either be started indoors or sown directly in the soil or containers outdoors. If sowing indoors (which gives them a quicker start) sow into small plant pots
Some plants can be brought from garden centres or ordered as plug plants online. Do not plant outside until the last frost has occurred as they are easily damaged by frost owing to being tender. They can usually be planted out after the third week of May unless you live in a particular cold area or prone to late frosts. Harden the
(7cmsize), yogurt pots with holes in the base for drainage, or 6 pack modules: sow into multipurpose or John Innes composts about 2cm deep.
Do not plant outside until the last frost has occurred
plants off for 10 days by moving them outside during the day and bringing indoors overnight if it is cold.
Plant out into soil that has been dug over and if you have some compost or manure add some when digging. Use a trowel to make a hole the size of the
Once sown water the compost and
place somewhere warm indoors or in
a greenhouse or polytunnel that are frost free. Check daily and water if required when the compost starts to dry out. They can be sown from mid-April to late May and are easy and interesting for children to sow as they are easy to handle and germinate and grow quickly making large plants.
rootball, remove the pot and place the plant in the hole, refill, and firm the soil around the plant. Plant at the same depth as they were in the pot and water well.
If you have missed sowing indoors or do not have the space the seeds can be sown directly into the soil outdoors from mid-May; they
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