Gardening expert Monty Don recommends getting stuck into planting this one delicious and versatile vegetable now if you want to enjoy its harvest by the time autumn rolls around
If you want to enjoy a harvest of fresh produce in time for autumn, gardening expert Monty Don recommends planting this one popular vegetable this month.
While many gardeners are focused on their summer blooms, it’s important to remember that July is the perfect time to plant certain produce in time for autumn. One of the most popular vegetable to grow is lettuce. It’s fresh, neutral taste makes it a fitting side to many well-loved dishes.
It’s also relatively easy to grow, making it an ideal choice for many beginner gardeners. It’s also quite compact and can be cultivated in smaller gardens and balconies.
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Lettuce can also grow relatively quickly. Monty writes in his blog: “Lettuce sown directly into the soil in July will germinate very quickly and can be ready for harvesting 6-8 weeks after sowing.”
He recommends sowing them “in plugs” to protect the emerging seedlings more easily from slugs and snails. Slugs and snails both like to chew up young seedlings, which can make them difficult to grow.
Growing plants in plugs involves starting seeds in individual, small containers, which offers them better protection against pests. They are then transplanted into larger pots or directly into the garden.
Monty then advises planting them out at 9 inch spacing in August. He adds that he usually does this after he has cleared an earlier crop to make space, such as broad beans or peas.
If slugs still pose a problem, even if you have used the plug method, there are other ways to deter them. You can always set up a beer trap to reduce their numbers.
A beer trap involves filling an old container with beer and placing it near your garden bed. Slugs will be drawn by the yeast in the beer, fall in and drown.
Another (less deadly) way to repel them is by using an old grapefruit shell lying skin-down near the garden bed. Slugs are attracted to the scent of grapefruit, as well as the moist dark shelter it provides.
Simply wait until the next morning, by which time you will likely have collected a host of slugs under the grapefruit. You can then scoop them up in the grapefruit skin and remove them from your garden.
If you’d rather not get your own hand dirty, you can also encourage the presence of various natural predators that eat slugs and snails. These include ground beetles, slow worms, frogs, hedgehogs and toads.