Garden tips 3

Tips 3 - May Gardener's Calendar - 10.04.2009 By now you should have dug the whole plot ready for planting. Those plants which were sown under protection earlier in the year should be put outdoors during the day to harden off and if the night is going to be above 6 or 7 degrees they can be left out overnight, this does of course exclude tomatoes. They can be put out during the day but must be brought in overnight. At the beginning of May plant your main crop potatoes to a depth of at least 2 inches from the top of the potato to the surface of the soil, this will protect them in case there is a frost before they break the surface. With general seed planting check the instructions on the packet for the best times to plant each vegetable but as a general rule you can plant, French and runner beans, carrots, courgettes, outdoor cucumbers, lettuce, turnips, spinach and parsley. Hoe the ground well before planting because weeds will grow just as quickly as seeds. Earth up your early potatoes until at least the end of the month when the risk of frost should have past. As a general rule gardeners plant their vegetables about 2 to 3 weeks in succession so as to have small amounts ready for a longer period of time. So don’t plant the whole packet at once but sow a few seeds to suit your needs. Then sow more at intervals throughout the next 2 months. Don’t forget if anyone needs any advice I am always here to help. Happy digging!
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