Garden Share Collective - June 2014

This is my monthly contribution to the Garden Share Collective an expanding community of gardeners across the globe.

May has been a very busy month for me, and the garden is now brimming with good stuff. This is my favourite time of year, when all the crops are looking fresh and full of potential, and there is nothing that looks tired and in need of replacing.

I have spent a lot of time erecting support systems - e.g. for the Runner Beans

and protective systems - e.g. nets for the Brassicas and Strawberries

Lots of planting-out has taken place. The Runner Beans and French Beans are in

The Tomatoes are now outside, in big pots. My "Main crop" ones are housed in 40cm self-watering pots like these, and supported by bamboo canes held securely with metal supports.

I have six Brussels Sprout plants in and growing away, and I also managed to squeeze in two Tenderstem Broccoli plants (in the centre of the bed) as well, which will mature much more rapidly, giving me two crops from the same bed.

I have planted some of my Leeks, following my pledge to do more to extend my cropping season into the Winter months. As many of you will know, my plot is very small, so I have only been able to make room for 16 Leeks. That bed they are in is also hosting a couple of Cabbages (more to be added soon to provide a successional crop), and I will soon be putting in a few Swede Turnips when the seedlings are big enough to transplant.

The First Early potatoes have produced a lot of foliage and are looking exceptionally healthy so far. I hope to be harvesting them in early or mid-June.

The Chilli plants have been potted up too (into 10" pots) and are now living outside permanently. They are not particularly happy at the moment (not growing much), because we are going through a spell of cool, wet weather.

One of the Turkish Peppers has set its first fruit, so we're making progress:

I was hoping to have had some Broad Beans by now, but they are only just setting pods:

My few Peas have produced a fair few pods, but none of them are ready just yet. Perhaps another week or 10 days...

My Asparagus bed is still producing a steady stream of spears. Never enough, mind, but still nice!

The Blueberry bushes are laden with fruit, and I'm hoping for a much better harvest than last year, which was exceptionally poor. No ripe fruit yet, but it won't be long. I grow my Blueberry bushes in pots, so that I can move them around as necessary. Soon it will be time to shift them into a place where I can conveniently protect them with a net to keep the predatory Blackbirds off.

My garden is primarily dedicated to growing edible plants, but I'm making a bit of an effort to include more ornamentals, which I shall represent here with this stunning Aquilegia.

The shrubs are probably at their best right now too. This is purple Cotinus and yellow Golden Dogwood:

Here's a summary:

Harvested

Asparagus

Radishes

Lettuce

Herbs

Sowed

Lettuce

Endive

Radicchio

Turnips

Swedes

Cabbage

Planted

Leeks

Lettuce

Cabbage

Cucumbers

Plans for next month

Harvest Broad Beans, Peas, Potatoes, Lettuce, Asparagus, Radishes, Strawberries, Blueberries

Tie-in Beans, Tomatoes and Cucumbers as they climb their canes

Plant Cabbage, Swede, Lettuce, Endives, Radicchio and possibly PSB

Make some Comfrey Tea plant food

Well that's it from me for this month. Next month I hope to be reporting some more harvests!

In the meantime, why not visit some of the other blogs in the Garden Share Collective and see what some other gardeners are up to....(it might take you all month, because this thing is getting popular!)