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Gardener's World |
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Planting time for vegetables.
The mild dry weather over the past week has been ideal for planting some early vegetable plants and kitchen herbs.
A wide selection of summer vegetable and herb plants are now available for planting for early fresh kitchen veggies in summer.Early cabbage.
Look for ‘hispi’ or ‘golden cross’ cabbage plants, which will give excellent solid heads of cabbage for mid summer if planted now. Both varieties offer excellent greens throughout the summer season and can be planted in stages to prolong the cropping period.
Red cabbage is becoming very popular as a table vegetable for its sweet distinctive flavour. The plant is easy to grow and produces solid red heads for early and mid summer use. Look for the f1 variety called ‘autora’.
Easy to grow leeks.
Leeks are one of the easiest garden vegetables to grow, they are hardy and give an excellent return in late summer and winter. Leeks are related to garlic and onions and are just as easy to grow if the soil is well prepared, as they do best on a good rich loamy soil.
Young plants are available now for transplanting into a sunny location in free draining soil that has been prepared by the addition of garden compost or into a location where potatoes grew last season, as the soil should be ideal to grow leeks well.
Grow the variety f1 verina, which produces long white well-flavoured stems that can be picked from October to the following March.
Summer green broccoli.
Calabrese or summer green broccoli is a super summer vegetable. The plants are easy to grow providing excellent summer pickings from July to early autumn.
Prepare the soil well by adding well-rotted organic matter or garden compost and firm the plant well after planting, as a firm base is critical.
Plant the variety Calabrese f1 marathon for its reliable deep green spears of delicious green broccoli.Salad lettuce.
Summer vegetables are not complete without the addition of fresh lettuce picked from your own garden. Lettuce is easy to grow and can be planted in succession right throughout the spring and summer season.
This year try planting ‘continental ‘ mixed which offers you a selection of many varieties to provide you with choice and selection right through the summer salad period.
Fresh vegetable plants are now available for planting into your garden and remember you don’t need a large space to grow vegetables simply plant them through existing plant’s in your garden to provide you with fresh and regular pickings all summer long.
Fresh herbs in containers.
Garden herbs are one of the easiest garden plants to grow, suitable for all gardens, and many varieties suitable for growing in patio pots and containers.
Cutting your own fresh herbs can be so easy if you plant now.
Young fresh herb plants are now available for planting in flower borders to complement existing plants or in containers kept close to the kitchen for easy access.Some of the most popular.
Plant the most popular herbs in containers and window boxes and keep outdoors close to the kitchen for regular use throughout the summer.
Many varieties are winter hardy and will survive all year round with out protection.
Parsley is possible the most popular herb in use try the plain leaved varieties for better flavour and higher winter tolerance.
Parsley should be sown freshly every two tears to give a continuous supply.
Golden sage is an excellent all round kitchen herb the plant makes a perfect clump of bright yellow foliage throughout summer.
Mint lends its self to container planting on its own; this vigorous plant quickly spreads and will fill its container very rapidly.
Green fennel and chives are welcomed in every kitchen and will provide you with regular pickings throughout the summer period. Both are easy to grow and will provide you with pickings this season.
Remember Horkans Garden Centres in Sligo and Castlebar are open seven days Sunday 2 to 6pm. horky@iol.ie