It’s almost the end of May and the growing season is upon us. The plants in my cold frame are really coming on. The fruit cage has now got netting around it to stop the birds from eating the fruit. My peas were eaten by mice so I went to the garden centre and bought a few pots. My carrots are coming up nicely although a few went to seed. And finally my onions are doing fantastic.
No vegetable plot is complete without runner beans. They are probably the most productive vegetable you can grow and you will often give them away. Because they are so productive, they require humus-rich soil, and it is often a good idea to build a bean trench.
My tomatoes and chillies have moved from the kitchen windowsill to their final positions; some in my old man’s greenhouse and some in the coldframe on the allotment. I’m growing three varieties of chillies, as mentioned here, and I’m also growing three varieties of tomatoes. These are Tigerella, Red Star (from the Heritage Seed Library a couple of years ago), and a variety called Tumbler for some hanging baskets on the allotment.
It will be interesting to see how the plants in the greenhouse compare to those in the coldframe, so I’ll keep you updated.
May can be one of the busiest months of the year for a gardener. The soil is warming up and things should be growing quite well now. However it is worth keeping an eye on the weather, late frosts are not unknown and catch people out. If a frost is forecast, cover young and vulnerable plants with a fleece.
My plan was to spend the afternoon filming various things down the allotment. Unfortunately, the weather got in the way and cut things short.