Job of the week: Thin lettuces
Lettuces are easy to sow outdoors, straight into the soil where they are to grow. But once seedlings are up above ground they quickly start jostling each other for space, even if you’ve sown them quite thinly. Give them the room they need by gently pulling or pinching out surplus seedlings to leave the remaining ones at about 10cm apart.
Flowers:
• Sow seeds of hardy perennials and biennials such as verbascums and wallflowers
• Prune early summer shrubs like Philadelphus and Deutzia after flowering
• Mark clumps of bulbs before foliage dies down so you remember where they are
Fruit & veg:
• Sow marigolds alongside onions to confuse pests and brighten up your plot
• Harvest globe artichokes while they’re still small, before the scales start opening
• Tuck straw under strawberries to keep fruit clean and speed ripening
Greenhouse:
• Open doors, windows and roof vents to keep plants cool on sunny days
• Water chilli plants once you feel the compost starting to dry out
• Check plants for signs of red spider mite including mottled leaves and webbing
Around the garden:
• Remove faded flowers from marginal pond plants like marsh marigold
• Continue weekly mowing, tipping the clippings into the compost bin
• Watch out for caterpillars and cover vulnerable crops with insect-proof mesh
Read this week’s Ardcarne Garden Centre Newsletter in full [here…]