June is an important month for the allotment or home grower – the risk of frost is now gone and the days are getting longer and hotter, meaning now is peak growing season for a lot of plants and seedlings. Here’s what’s going on this month: 

Harvesting 

Harvest beetroot

You will be able to lift your early potatoes towards the end of the month and start harvesting soft fruits as soon as they have ripened.  It’s also time to start harvesting

  • Beetroot
  • Broad beans
  • Cabbage
  • Cauliflower
  • Early peas
  •  Lettuce
  •  Rhubarb
  •  spring onions
  •  Radish
  •  Spinach

Sowing and Planting

prepare your garden soil

Now is the time to start sowing seeds for: 

  • Brussels sprouts
  • Cabbages
  • Cauliflowers
  •  Celeriac
  •  Courgettes
  •  Outdoor cucumbers
  •  French and runner beans
  •  Leeks
  •  Pumpkins
  •  Sweetcorn

Remember that all plants are different, so always follow the instructions on the packet. Outdoor tomatoes can now be planted into their final position, and you can start successional sowings of :

  • Beetroot
  • Kohl rabi
  •  Lettuce 
  •  Winter cabbage 

General

Summer

  • Feed Tomatoes  
  • Protect Fruit 
  • Hoe Weeds 
  • Train in climbing beans 
  •  Put in supports for peas.
  •  Top dress Asparagus them with soil or fertilizer ready for next year
  • Keep plants growing under glass well watered

Pests and Diseases

Aphids  – spraying your brassicas with diluted washing up liquid will deter them from landing on your crops. You can buy insecticides if you prefer, including a fatty acid soap to spray on the plants.

Carrot fly –   a particular problem between May and September when female flies lay their eggs the best defence to cover plants with horticultural fleece or place two-foot high barriers around the plants.

Cabbage root fly– attacking the roots of brassicas, these flies can cause a lot of damage to your plants. Female flies lay the eggs on the surface of the soil next to the stem of the plant. Place a piece of carpet (or cardboard or fleece) around the base of the plant to create a collar, this will stop the flies from laying their eggs on the soil.