Page 47 - Simply Vegetables Spring 2025

Dahlias hardening off in the frame Those grown on the cordon system, which
means just one stem per plant need their
side shoots removing regularly. These are
the shoots that grow between the leaves
and the stems.
I mentioned earlier about potting
brassicas into larger pots. When they are
well established in these pots and the
roots have filled them, they can be planted
out. The main problem with these plants
are cabbage white butterflies which lay
their eggs on the leaves and when the
caterpillars hatch they eat the leaves. Some
lay their eggs singly and some in clusters
and some lay them on the underside of the
leaves. You can go round regularly looking
for the eggs the best control, though, is to
prevent the butterflies getting to the plants
by putting a net over them supported on a
June
No matter in which part of the country
you live, this is the month in which there
should be no more frost. This means that
all the tender veg, dahlias and half-hardy
annuals can all be safely planted. The
tender veg include runner beans, French
beans (dwarf and climbing), marrows,
courgettes, pumpkins, squashes and
sweet corn. I wrote last month about
planting tomatoes in the greenhouse,
but they can now be planted outside
providing that they are hardened off.
This, as I have mentioned before, applies
to any plants raised in greenhouses.
You may have brassicas such as
cabbages and cauliflowers ready for
planting but don’t forget what I said last
month about covering them with a net to
keep off the butterflies. Other crops you
may have ready for planting are celery,
onions, leeks and salad crops such as
lettuce. Chrysanths and gladioli can still
be planted if not done last month as I
described then.
It is rather late to sow the tender veg I
mentioned before unless you want a late
crop. You have most chance with dwarf
French beans because they crop earlier
than the others. They can be sown direct in
the bed 6 inches (15 cm.) apart in rows.
Most of the other veg that I mentioned
the last two months can still be sown but
remember what I said about sowing in
small batches to avoid gluts.
Onion bed planted framework of canes and that is what I do.
Now that the weather is warming up
you will need to keep your eyes open for
other pests. They will be increasing rapidly
if you allow them to. Greenfly can attack a
wide range of plants, but blackfly mainly on
beans and whitefly mainly on brassicas and
tomatoes in the greenhouse. If you catch
them early you can get rid of them before
they multiply. Spray at the first sign with a
suitable insecticide.
Also, now that the weather is warming
up, watering will be a priority particularly
in the greenhouse or polytunnel. Another
greenhouse job is to paint it with shading
paint. You can buy it at garden centres,
and it will prevent it from getting too warm
and in turn will reduce watering. It rubs off
easily at the end of the season. Ventilation
Annuals ready for planting
If you are sowing peas, choose an early
variety such as Douce Provence, Kelvedon
Wonder or Early Onward, all of which are
available from most suppliers.
If you are sowing cabbages or
cauliflowers, choose winter varieties. For
cabbage, January King (Dobies, Suttons
or Browns) or Tundra (Dobies, Marshalls,
Browns, Fothergills). For cauliflowers,
choose Aalsmeer (most suppliers),or
Triumphant (Browns, Fothergills ). Chinese
cabbage can also be sown of which there
are many varieties.
I have not mentioned chicory before.
Show Perfection peas planted
is also important. Keep your greenhouse
doors and ventilators open as much as the
weather allows. Just close them at night if
cold weather is forecast.
If you planted your potatoes in April, they
should be growing well this month and
need earthing up this means drawing soil
up round the plants to support them.
Strawberries should soon be fruiting,
especially if yours are an early variety so
put some straw under the developing fruit
to keep them off the ground.
If you sowed broad beans in the autumn
they should be growing well by now. It is
a good idea to pinch out the tops of the
plants because it discourages black fly.
There are two types, one to form chicons
and one to form heads similar to lettuce
and both can be sown now. To grow
chicons, the plants are blanched in winter
by keeping the plants in the dark. The most
popular variety for chicons is Witloof Zoom
(Dobies, Brown, Fothergills) and for salads
Rosso di Treviso Provence (Suttons).
Root crops such as turnips, swedes,
beetroot, radish, carrots, parsnips and kohl
rabi can still be sown in drills but beetroot
can also be sown in cell trays. I told you
before that I grow carrots and parsnips
in tubes or drums. I also grow carrots in
Simply Vegetables 47