Gardening with Pat Duke: How to make the most of the summer sun

In the Garden

Flaming June has arrived although it seems like it’s been summer for a few dry months already. Watering little and often the first or last part of the day has been the primary task of late just to keep everything going. 

Early June is the time when we can start to believe the frosts are behind us and plant out sensitive souls like dahlias and rudbeckias. Still keep some fleece or newspaper at hand in case of an unexpected night frost. 

It is madness to leave them exposed to chance when you've done all that hard work of nurturing them in the nursery environment of the greenhouse or indoors. 

Just as the wallflowers are going over, it's your annual reminder to plant them from seed in a bed so that their roots can establish in plenty of time for next February when they start to come to life and prepare to fill the gap left by spring bulbs. 

Much easier task that must be up there on the axis of effort to reward chart is broadcast sowing poppies directly into a bed. Choose a time when it’s just rained or is about to rain. If you can’t wait, then water the soil before and after sowing. Poppies need to be grown in this way as they (like peonies) refuse to grow if their roots are plucked from the ground and moved elsewhere. 

When plants have put on their foliage it can really exacerbate gaps in a bed. These can easily be filled by dropping in something colourful and reliable like a saliva of your choice or pelargoniums. If it's a shady or damp area, candelabras are perfect. 

Sweet peas will be starting to emerge and blow their flimsy petals in the wind along with their scent wafting in the back door. Keep picking them and they'll come back but bear in mind that they'll need some potash feed or tomato feed to keep producing the goods.

If you see any pods, pick them immediately as we want the peas to produce flowers and ironically not peas. 

On the Plot

Try not to panic about making the most of the summer as some vegetables can have a second sowing. Courgettes are an ideal plant to be sowing again if you can. Having said that, I'd only do it if you love them or know someone who does. 

Succession sowing of vegetables you already have growing can be dropped in too so all is not lost. 

I often think vegetable gardeners fall into two categories, ones that grow only what they like to eat and those that try to grow everything and anything. 

Seasoned campaigners tend to be in the form category and succession sow as much as they can. These types always have a year round supply of salad leaves.

Another reason not to feel anxious about having empty space or feel you’ve not planted enough is that leeks and brassicas can be sown now for a winter crop. 

In terms of rotating beds then leeks can go into last year's brassica bed and the brassicas, including purple sprouting, can follow the peas and beans from last year. 

Planting brassicas is most practical in a raised bed that you can then actively protect from birds and butterflies, namely Cabbage Whites, with small reusable netting and bamboo canes as a bare minimum.  

Another neat trick where you think you’ve missed the boat is to sow Florence fennel now so that when the wetter weather arrives it will really help the bulb grow into something edible sized. It can be a pain watering fennel every day and becoming obsessed by its size only to find that when it reaches golf ball size it bolts. Allow nature to take over and do a much better job while you enjoy the sunny weather.