Not Too Late To Get Growing This Year

While I would never advise hastiness when starting a new garden, it is not too late to get growing this summer. You can still think about sowing a range of quick crops for the rest of summer and autumn/fall. And if you put some protection in place (or live in a climate without freezing winters) , you can certainly still sow some some crops for overwintering.

Though my polytunnel is crammed full of summer crops right now, this month I will sow some brassicas and some more leafy greens (chard, perpetual spinach, Asian greens) for overwintering. This gives them a chance to become established before I transplant them into the in ground polytunnel beds when some summer crops are cleared. I will also continue to successional sow some lettuce and other quick leafy crops.

If you are yet to plan your garden, however, and create your growing areas, I would recommend taking some time to plan and prepare.

You might wish to create your new growing areas (I recommend no dig methods) and choose and plant cover crops for the winter to protect the soil before sowing your crops next spring.

I highly recommend that you consider which fruit trees, shrubs and other perennials you would like to buy bare-root to plant out once the colder weather arrives.

You might also like to consider taking semi-ripe or hardwood cuttings from plants to propagate new plants for your new garden over the coming months.

Planning and preparation now can help you make sure your garden will be growing strong next spring. Think about getting the basics in place (rainwater harvesting or water management schemes, composting…any undercover growing structures you need to overwinter plants successfully and get started earlier next spring) and perhaps starting small with a container garden or raised bed before you increase your growing efforts next year.

If you would like some help to plan your garden and get an implementation plan in place for this summer and the seasons to come, please do get in touch. No matter where you live and what your climate zone may be, I can help you develop the right strategies for your space.