June on the Allotment: The Month Everything Takes Off!

June is one of the busiest and most rewarding months on the allotment. After months of sowing, potting on, protecting from frost and watching weather forecasts like hawks, things finally start to explode into life.

As allotmenteers in North West Leicestershire, we often find that traditional gardening books can be a week or two behind what is actually happening on our plots. The weather patterns have changed dramatically over recent years, so don’t be afraid to trust what you see in front of you rather than blindly following old advice.

Planting Out

By now, most tender crops should be heading outside or into the polytunnel. Tomatoes, courgettes, squash, pumpkins, sweetcorn, beans and outdoor cucumbers can all be planted into their final positions if they haven’t already.

On a No Dig plot, simply pull back the mulch, make a planting hole and let the compost do the hard work.

Keep on Sowing

June is not the end of sowing season. Far from it.

Continue sowing:

• Lettuce
• Beetroot
• Carrots
• Spring onions
• French beans
• Runner beans
• Radish
• Turnips
• Perpetual spinach

Small regular sowings every couple of weeks will provide crops right through summer and into autumn.

Feed the Hungry Crops

Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and aubergines are now growing rapidly and will appreciate regular feeding.

If you’re growing in pots or systems such as Quadgrows, keep an eye on water levels. A dry plant in June can quickly become a struggling plant in July.

Stay on Top of Weeds

The good news is that No Dig plots are generally easier to manage. The bad news is that weeds never seem to get the memo.

A quick ten-minute hoe or hand weed every visit is far easier than facing a jungle at the end of the month.

Harvest What You Can

June often brings the first real rewards of the season.

You may be harvesting:

• Early potatoes
• Lettuce
• Radish
• Spring onions
• Herbs
• Rhubarb
• Broad beans

Keep picking regularly. Many crops will continue producing if you stay ahead of them.

Support and Tie In

Sweet peas, tomatoes, beans and cucumbers all seem to grow six inches when you’re not looking.

Check supports regularly and tie plants in before wind or weight causes damage.

Think About Wildlife

June is a fantastic month for pollinators. Leave a few flowers to bloom, keep water available for insects and birds, and resist the temptation to tidy every corner.

A slightly untidy allotment is often a far more productive and wildlife-friendly allotment.

Finally…

Take time to enjoy it.

June is when all the planning starts paying off. Grab a brew, sit on the plot for ten minutes and admire what you’ve created. There will always be another job waiting, but these are the moments that make allotment life special.

Happy growing from all of us, and here’s hoping for plenty of sunshine, gentle rain and baskets full of harvests.