Summer is well and truly with us, and while the days are long and bright, it’s still relatively early in the growing season. This time of year marks a crucial window for sowing, tending, and planning ahead.
Sow Now: Last Chances
June is the final call for sowing carrots and parsnips. It’s also the last opportunity for sowing annual flowers for a late-summer display—sunflowers, cosmos, and other autumn bloomers will still perform well if sown now.
The soil is beautifully warm, making this the perfect moment to sow beans—including dwarf French, climbing French, borlotti, or shelling varieties—directly into the ground. Keep the soil evenly moist, but not overly wet, as young beans are prone to rot. Birds love fresh shoots, so you may need to pop in spares.
If you’d like a later crop of baby courgettes, sow them now—this is your last chance to do so this year.
Tomato Care
Tomato plants need careful attention at this stage. Side-shooting is essential: train your plant to grow as a single stem up to about 5ft tall, supporting around five trusses of fruit. Remove unnecessary side shoots and lower leaves to direct energy into fruit production and ripening. Now’s also the time to begin feeding, organic seaweed feed works well.
Fruit Picking
Soft fruit season has arrived. Pick raspberries and other fruits daily, selecting the darkest, ripest berries. If you have multiple canes, check them all for ripeness. Preserve or freeze as you go—fruit won’t keep long on the plant.
Looking Ahead: Winter Crops
Late June into early July is time to start sowing for winter. Begin with broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbages, and leeks. If you haven’t yet sown Brussels sprouts or red cabbages, this is your last chance.
General Garden Care
Weeds grow fast in hot, dry weather so stay on top of them to give young plants the best start. Don’t forget to deadhead roses; doing so now encourages repeat flowering later in the summer, usually around early September.
In hot spells or heatwaves, daily watering is essential, especially for anything growing in pots.
Biodynamic Tip
Now is the time to care for your compost. All those weeds you're pulling—provided they haven't gone to seed—can be added to your heap. Balance green material with brown (like straw, dried leaves, or cardboard) to help it heat up. If the dry weather continues, water the pile, especially between layers as you turn it. If it’s cooking well, now is an ideal time to add biodynamic preparations. With good management, your compost could be ready by September.