With 2 May Bank holidays here in the UK I should be grateful for the extra days that I can spend at my plot. Luckily though for me, I have a few short, well deserved breaks booked that coincide with these holidays so the job of tending the plot and plants falls to my allotment neighbour Andy. With the warmer weather approaching and the seedlings and plants growing at an alarming rate, it is important to appreciate that these plants will need some extra tlc. They will require constant watering and in some cases protection from the elements, so it is worthwhile bearing this in mind if you are unable to tend to your plants for a long period of time.This could be an ideal time to get to know your allotment neighbour and ask them to help you out!
Most of the plants that can be planted this month are virtually the same as April. Many tender crops can now be planted out in the ground but it is still worthwhile remembering that we can still have late frosts up until the end of the month. So keep an eye out on the weather forecasts and take the necessary action to protect your plants if this should happen.
Jobs to do………in May
- Most vegetables can now be sown outside but they will still require protection
- Continue to harden off plants that are due for transplanting in the ground this month.
- Continue to pot on plants that need transplanting, trying to accommodate them best you can under cover until the risk of frost has passed
- Weeds will grow even more strongly now so keep the hoe busy
- Continue to pick salad crops to encourage more leaves
- Repot up tomato seedlings if they have outgrown their pots.
- Cover newly sown crops and seedlings with cloches to help protect a little more from the elements
- Thin raspberry canes to aid picking fruit at a later date
- Root vegetables will need to be thinned now to allow room for the crops to develop properly
- Sweetcorn can be sown directly outside now but remember to sow them in blocks to aid with pollination
- Tomato plants that are growing vigorously will need staking and the side shoots will need removing
- Keep the watering can busy this month
- Cover strawberry beds with straw around and in between the plants
- Plant out winter brassicas such as cauliflowers and Brussels Sprouts that have been hardened off
- Peas will need staking when they reach a couple of inches high.
- Make sucessional sowings of peas, lettuces, spinach, turnips and radishes
What to sow………Indoors (Heated or Unheated)
- Lettuce
- Peas
- Celery
- Onions and shallot seeds
- Kohl Rabi
- Kale
- Cucumbers
- Brussels Sprouts
- Winter salads
- Summer, Autumn and Winter Cabbages
- Summer and Autumn Cauliflowers
- Calabrese
- Maincrop peas
- French beans
- Runner beans
- Sweetcorn
- Leeks
- Spinach
- Radish
- Courgettes
- Summer squash
- Marrows
- Pumpkins
- Winter squash
What to sow………Outdoors (Under Protection)
- Spinach
- Salad leaves
- Lettuce
- Cucumber
- Rocket
- French beans
- Runner beans
- Kale
- Brussels sprouts
- Sprouting broccoli
- Summer, Autumn and red cabbage
- Early cauliflower
- Leeks
- Calabrese
- Herbs
- Radish
- Mangetout
- Calabrese
- Maincrop peas
- Carrots
- Beetroot
- Kohl rabi
- Broccoli (Summer variety)
- Onions
- Parsnips
- Sweetcorn
- Swedes
- Spring onion
- Turnips
What to plant………in May
- Brussel sprouts
- Cabbages
- Cauliflowers
- Celery
- Courgettes
- Summer squashes
- Cucumbers
- Globe artichokes
- Kohl rabi
- Leeks
- Lettuces
- Marrows
- Peas
- Pumpkins and Winter squashes
- Sprouting broccoli
- Sweetcorn
- Sweet potatoes
- Tomatoes
- Fruit bushes
- Strawberries
- Second early and maincrop potatoes
- Onion sets and shallots
Crops in season now
- Asparagus
- Broccoli (Sprouting)
- Spring onions
- Hardy lettuces
- Chard
- Spring cauliflower
- Spring cabbage
- Radish
- Chicory
- Jerusalem artichokes
- Kale
- Lettuce
- Parsnips
- Forced rhubarb
- Spinach
Happy sowin’
Debb
digginwivdebb 