Most vegetables have been planted and you are now harvesting. Gaps in the vegetable beds will start to appear but fret not! There are still vegetables that you can sow and plant. Potatoes for summer planting is one such veg. Plant these potatoes over the next few weeks to guarantee a harvest in time for your Christmas dinner.
Potatoes for summer planting
If this is your first time growing potatoes follow the RHS growing guide here
Potatoe ‘Red Duke of York’
‘Red Duke of York’ produces large, red skinned potaoes with tasty yellow flesh that are ideal for roasting or baking.Great potaoes for summer planting. Chit and plant them before the end of August for your christmas crop.
Potato ‘Charlotte’
‘Charlotte’ potatoes are typically planted and grown from early spring as a first early or salad potato. But they are also potaoes for summer planting to give you a winter harvest. They will produce medium sized poatoes with creamy flesh. Ideal for growing in the ground or large containers.
Other veg to grow from seed for the summer:
Radish
Radishes are easy and fast growing. They can be sown ever two weeks for continuos harvesting into the autumn months. Try varities such as ‘felicia’, ‘Royal purple’, or the traditional ‘French Breakfast’.
Lettuces
Most varieties of Lettuce and salad leaves can be grown well into the autumn no matter what the packet says. Lettuces are great for sowing directly in the soil as gaps start to appear between other veg. Fast growing cut and come again mixes are perfect for this. Try suttons ‘Spicy leaf mix’ or ‘Frech salad mix’.
Beetroot
Beetroot are one of the best veg to grow in my opinion. They can be sown from February right up into the autumn. Not only is the root veg edible but the leaves are delicious when added to salad so two crops from the same plant. You will find multicoloured, striped, yellow red, white, and pink varieties available.
Carrots
Carrots are typically grown in late winter and early spring but you can sow them up until early august for small baby carrots. Sow the seeds directly to the bed between other veg or in pots.
Spinach
Spinach can be sown well into late autumn and will give you an endless supply of young leafy greens for salads. It can be sown directly into the bed and bewteen other plants. Alternatively it can be grown in window boxes or pots.
Pea shoots
Peas can still be sown but for the tender shoots rather than the pea pods. The young shoots add a crisp freshness to salads and are ideal for topping dishes. Soak your pea seeds over night before sowing to get them to germinate faster.
Leeks
Leeks can be sown until late July / early August for young and tender leeks. These young leeks can be used instead of spring onions in salads or steamed.
Spring Onions
Sow spring onions from the end of July for early crops next spring. Get ahead for next year!
For more info on growing Herbs, fuits, and veg click here
