We are down to the last planting for the season. This afternoon I will plant some garlic that will be harvested as green garlic in a spot where two Elephant Garlic didn’t come up. Taking opportunities like these to plug up any gaps in the garden beds. Careful that what I plant as an alternative (where it wasn’t originally intended) doesn’t shade out anything. For example, my first thought was to plant mustard greens in the space where the Elephant Garlic didn’t grow but those mustard greens would have grown tall and shaded out the rest of the Elephant Garlic crop. My second thought was grow some medium size garlic cloves for an early garlic harvest of green garlic. A much better idea.

Photo above: Medium sized garlic cloves planted closer together for a green garlic harvest. Harvested the size of a spring onion, used in cooking during the hungry gap . At Fairy Wren Cottage we don’t plant anything in June. July will also be a quiet month, then in August seed planting will begin again.

For now we are evaluating the growing season and making plans for Springtime

Photo above. While this small clump of Sunchokes grew tall and helped protect tender summer crops from wind and afternoon sun another crop in a different spot needed shifting. Michael lifted the sun chokes, divided the tubers and positioned them in another part of the garden where they won’t shade out the veg. We have also shared some tubers with friends.

1. I have some spare broad bean seeds to plant and that’s it until August.

2.I do love potting up cuttings and re potting. My potting bench near the garden gate is so handy now, the spare pots close by and spider free,  it inspires me to do more.

3.I have some Elderflower cuttings to take, some for us and some to share. I shared this in my April newsletter. I take cuttings and put them in a jar of clean, cold water. The cuttings form roots and once the roots are established I pot them up in individual pots. I’ll plant them out into some new Food Hedges when they are growing well and can take transplanting.  You can find my Food Hedges ebook in the Ebook tab at the top of the page. It is free and I share generously.

I’ll be back tomorrow to share some more gardening tips.

Until then, take precious care,

Jude x