Monty Don says there is still time to start a vegetable garden from scratch but you need to act fast
Mony Don claims his garden has 'flowered profusely' despite having had less sunshine than usual.
by Shania King-Soyza · DevonLiveGarden expert Monty Don claims there is still time to start your vegetable garden from scratch - but you need to act fast. Releasing his June newsletter, the horticultural expert has reacted to the rather wetter summer we are having.
Nevertheless, he reveals his garden has "flowered profusely" despite little sunshine. Despite the cloudy conditions it has not been particularly cold either which is great for any plants as the rain and mild temperatures make ideal growing conditions.
Speaking on growing vegetables, Monty wrote: "The vegetable garden is coming out of the ‘Hungry Gap’ - that period between the last of the winter crops and the first of summer’s harvest but there is still time to start a vegetable garden from scratch although there should be some urgency to do so.
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"Tomato plants, courgettes, squashes, runner beans and sweetcorn can all be planted outside now the nights are warming up and aubergines, peppers, melons, cucumbers and more tomatoes grown in a greenhouse.
"It is important to keep a succession of lettuce going this month making small sowings every two or three weeks to ensure a steady supply of fresh salad leaves."
Giving extra growing advice he added: "Regularly pinch out side-shoots on tomatoes. It is best - and easiest - to do this first thing in the morning when the plant is turgid and they will snap off easily in your fingers."
If you are looking to grow your own vegetable garden then Wowcher is selling a bumper 35-pack Vegetable Seed Kit & Garden Snips for £14.99 instead of £29.99 from Thompson & Morgan. The set is made up of beetroot, carrots, cucumber, courgette, chilli, lettuce and radish seeds.
There is a smaller option going on the site selling a bumper Pack of 10 Vegetable Seeds for £4.49 instead of £20.99 which includes a set of Asparagus, onion, cucumber, kale, aubergine or Carrot, parsnip, beetroot, tomato and pepper. Alternatively, Amazon is selling a Grow Your Own Seed Kit of 12 Vegetable Seed Varieties including Cucumber, Tomato, Onion, Lettuce, Beetroot, Radish, Brussels, Parsnip, and Swede for £5.99.
Continuing his newsletter, Monty Don also warns: "June is a month when weeds really kick into action so all vegetable plots need regular weeding and nothing beats a hoe for this. The secret of effective hoeing is to always do it in dry weather and preferably in the morning so that the weeds will cut cleanly from the soil and then dry out and die during the day. They can then be raked up in the afternoon and taken to the compost heap."
Read the full Monty Don newsletter here.