MANNER lifestyle
SUMMER
2020 and Covid-19
has turned us into an
island of gardeners,
says Harriet Rouse
gardening
When the chimes of
2020 first struck, it is
doubtful that the first
thing on our minds was
the need to start shopping for vegetable
seeds. Dry January may have been on
the horizon, perhaps with a side of New
Year resolutions; there were likely to be
some travel plans for the year ahead and
some parties to pencil in; there were
some weddings to attend and babies
due to be born. Little did we know that
come March we would all be dashing to
our local garden centre, searching online
frantically for tomato seeds that might
still be in stock and trading seedlings
and soil with our neighbours (from a
distance, of course).
2020 and Covid-19 has turned us into
an island of gardeners. Whilst in the
past we may have prioritised pretty or
fragrant planting with - if space allowed
- a fruit tree or two, few of us had fully
functioning vegetable patches, let alone
potting sheds or propagators. As food
shopping became more challenging and
we spent more time in our homes, many
of us found ourselves turning unused
pots and beds into future meals with
window sills being taken over by trays
of germinating seeds, not to mention
Harriet Rouse shares her spring tips,
planting our own seed potatoes for our
own including harvest of Jersey how Royals. to attract bees and
So, what preparing has the last few a months cutting meant garden
for our gardens and outside spaces? Well,
we have certainly spent more time in
them (and the homes attached!). Never
have we eaten outside so much before
the long days of July of August, nor
appreciated the freedom of our beaches.
As we start to emerge from lockdown,
we see new raised planters in friends’
gardens full of peas and beans; someone
serves up a salad proudly telling us that
the lettuce and rocket is all homegrown.
Perhaps this has been your first foray
into growing your own; perhaps you
have rediscovered a love
for something you’d not
made time for, perhaps
you are an old hand. Now
lockdown and spring has
given way to relaxations
in our socialising and the
summer, with the early
crop consumed what
should you be planting
now?
The good news is that
many vegetables can be
planted well into July, and still crop this
year, so if you’ve any seeds languishing
in half-used packets, then why not try
planting them out? Fruit canes will
ideally already be in, but you can still
pick up strawberry plants from local
"Someone
serves up a
salad proudly
telling us that
the lettuce and
rocket is all
homegrown."
garden centres (do make sure you net
them, else the birds and the squirrels
will have a feast), and if you have a glut
of anything and aren’t in the mood to
trade or give it away, freeze
or preserve it.
For planting up until the
end of July lettuces and
rocket grow quickly and
well. Carrots can also be
sown until the end of July,
as can radishes and turnips
(you can also eat the greens
produced by turnips).
We hate to be boring,
but what you put in the
garden now, you can reap
the benefits from later. Late Autumn
is a good time to harvest brassicas – so
broccoli, cabbages and kale are well
suited to summer planting. Spring
Onions can be sown in August for
harvesting in April the following year. �
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