Page 41 - Simply Veg 3.21

Summer Sowing
Members will recall Emily Plumb’s article in last July’s Simply Vegetables about sowing vegetables during the summer and her subsequent articles on her successes and less successful crops. As there is often space in vegetable gardens and allotments in July and August, I am keen to encourage growers to make better use of the ground rather than leave it empty and wasted especially if paying high rents for an allotment. Current research also indicates it is better to keep the soil covered with crops/vegetation hence the new name
for green manures of cover crops (an Americanism)!)
If you have planned to sow any ground with green manure this is good, and it should be sown as soon as suitable to get the maximum amount of growth before the winter. If sown during July it could be dug
in or composted and a winter crop planted during the autumn or even a second crop of green manure grown over winter keeping the soil covered. This is especially important on sandy or chalky soils which
Beetroot Chioggia
can leach nutrients relatively quickly.
An advantage of sowing in seed trays or modules is that you can sow before the previous crop is cleared
modules. If sowing in drills and the soil is dry water the bottom of the drill before sowing and then cover the seed with dry soil; the dry soil will stop most of the water evaporating. An advantage
of sowing in seed trays or modules is that you can sow before the previous crop is cleared and give the second crop a head start for when the ground is vacant. Once
Any how I digress, which
crops can be sown from July
to September that are likely
to produce a reasonable
harvest and be worthwhile?
Rather than ramble on about
the different crops, sowing
dates and keep repeating
myself I have set out the
crops, sowing dates, harvest
periods and useful cultivars in the adjacent table. Many of the cultivars are new and
F1 hybrids which although they are more expensive will produce a good yield even at
Carrots in wooden crate
the end of the season owing to hybrid vigour. Sowing is carried out just as you would
earlier in the season (follow the packet instructions) in drills in the soil or in trays or
the previous crop has finished clear the crop remains and compost them and plant the new crop straight into the ground. If the ground is compacted owing to walking on
it lightly loosen it with a fork and create a rough tilth.
If the ground becomes vacant during a dry period, the new crops will require watering
in and may need some form of watering until they are established, or rains come. Also, if the growth is slow a top dressing of fertiliser like Growmore or fish, blood and bone should help. In late September/October some crops can be covered with fleece of polythene to help keep them a bit warmer and increase growth as autumn arrives, but this is not essential for the crops in the table. Although may be an advantage in northern areas or cold districts. If the seed was sown direct into the soil the resulting seedlings may need thinning if germination has been good, weeding/hoeing will also be required as will any pest and disease measures. Slugs can be a bit of a problem in the damp autumn period so may need controlling.
Chard Charlotte and Intense
Dwarf bean Amethyst
Cabbage Caserta (Mini savoy)
Cabbage Cultivars
Simply Vegetables 41