It’s not too late to start your own vegetable garden – horticultural expert Monty Don reveals five vegetables that will thrive in your garden if you plant them now
If you’re kicking yourself for not planting a vegetable garden sooner, then don’t worry – it’s not too late. Gardening expert Monty Don has revealed five vegetables you can grow if you start now.
As the weather heats up and the days brighten, more of us are getting out into our gardens – and what better activity than growing your very own vegetables. Growing your own veggies can be hugely beneficial. Not only do they instantly add a burst of vitamins and minerals to a meal, they can also help you save money on shop-bought goods.
Plus, you don’t have to worry about your food being spritzed with nasty pesticides. Since you’re growing it yourself, you can control exactly what goes on your plants.
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Of course, if you’re starting a vegetable garden this far into the year, there is a limit to what you can grow. Fortunately, Monty has revealed which vegetables still do well if planted now.
Monty explained in his blog : “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.”
He insists that tomato plants, courgettes, squashes, runner beans and sweetcorn can all be planted outside now. This is because the nights are finally warming up, providing them with a suitable climate to grow.
Meanwhile, vegetables and fruit like aubergines, peppers, melons, cucumbers, as well as tomatoes, can be grown in a greenhouse. This is because greenhouses help keep heat-loving plants at a suitable temperature.
Monty also recommends keeping “a succession of lettuce going this month”. You can do this by sowing a couple of lettuce seeds every two or three weeks, which will ensure a consistent supply of salad leaves.
Although, the gardening expert also warns that June is a month where weeds “really kick into action”. Weeds pose a problem in gardens, as they leech nutrients from the soil, which can weaken your plants.
Worse, most weeds spread quite quickly, which means if you don’t deal with them quickly you could be soon overrun with them. Aside from stealing nutrients, they can also harbour plant-damaging pests.
But before you resort to a weed-killer, there are some natural ways to kill them. After all, most weed killers contain harsh chemicals that also damage your plants.
If you’re being blighted by weeds, one handy trick is to use old washing up powder to get rid of them. Alternatively, you can try smothering them with cardboard.