Page 19 - ALG Issue 2 2019

...June, July and August
compost, leaf mould, grass clippings, well-rotted manure etc. is a great help cutting down the need to water, as well as suppressing weeds. It should ideally be applied to damp soil, and should be a good couple of inches thick to do the job properly.
All climbing beans, soft fruits, and even fruit trees, will certainly benefit from this. Keep the hoe on the go, not just to reduce weeds, but to keep the surface of the soil loose, as any water or soluble fertiliser that is applied will absorb much better.
GREENHOUSE:
• Ensure greenhouses, polytunnels and cold frames are well ventilated on warm days,
as temperatures will
soon rise and can damage young plants.
• Floors and
staging can be
damped down (wetted
with the garden hose or watering can) to bring temperatures down a little and reduce the arid dryness of the growing atmosphere. It also lessens the chance of red spider mite attacks, which thrive in hot dry conditions.
• If necessary, shading can be applied to the greenhouse either as a paint/spray on product, or as a netting. Netting must be applied to the outside of the house to break the sun’s rays before it passes through the glass to reduce the intensity of the heat.
• Ensure that all greenhouse crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers and melons are kept well-watered, and new growth is tied in regularly. Tomatoes should be regularly checked for side shoots, and these should be removed before they get too established.
be cut down and ideally burnt where possible. If caught in the early stages this should not damage the crop.
It is still wise to be vigilant to pests on the plot, whether it be spraying, netting etc.
GREENHOUSE
• Keep greenhouses, polytunnels etc. well ventilated, and in the hottest weather, a little air can be left on overnight.
• Keep damping down houses wherever possible.
• Continue to tie in new growth on tomatoes, cucumbers and melons.
• Tomatoes should be fed regularly with a high potash (potassium) fertiliser. Continue to remove side shoots, and on warm days tap
the plant to aid pollination. Keep the plants consistently moist, as allowing tomato plants to become very dry, then very wet, will encourage blossom end rot.
GREENHOUSE TIP
Melons may require pollinating. To do this remove a ‘male’ flower
(one without a small fruit behind it) and push
it inside a ‘female’ flower (one that does have a small fruit).
compost, leaf mould, well-rotted manure or whatever you have at hand to prevent weed growth. Alternatively, sow down a crop of green manure that will prevent weed growth, whilst giving something back to the soil.
Begin to lift onions for winter storage. Don’t be tempted to bend over the tops to hasten the process, though this was once accepted. We now know that this can damage the stem and shorten the life span of the stored bulb.
Begin to lift onions for winter storage. Don’t be tempted to bend over the tops to hasten the process
GREENHOUSE
• Continue as last month with watering, feeding and tying in, and harvest all tomatoes, cucumbers etc. as necessary.
• Ripening melons should be supported with nets or similar so they cannot break away from the vine as they swell.
GROWER’S TIP
Keep harvesting all crops as they mature, don’t allow things to get over-large, as things like beetroot, kohlrabi and turnips can get woody and tasteless.
Allotment and Leisure Gardener 19