June is the month the garden finally pays you back. The slow grind of spring is behind you, the tender crops are out, the soil is warm, and suddenly everything starts growing properly. The trick in June is keeping up rather than catching up. A little work now spreads across months of harvests later. If … Read more
May is the month when the garden stops waiting and starts demanding. Everything happens at once seeds need sowing, tender plants need planting out, weeds appear from nowhere, and somehow you’re also supposed to be keeping on top of watering, feeding, and pest control. It’s brilliant, but it helps to know what actually needs doing … Read more
When to thin vegetable seedlings is earlier than most people manage: as soon as the first true leaves appear and seedlings touch their neighbours, usually two to three weeks after sowing. Thin in stages to the final spacing on the packet, and do it without sentiment, because a row left crowded never bulks up no … Read more