Is there anything I can do this year?

[Mark Rand]

I was away from home from Novmber to June this year. When I got back I managed to clear the flower beds and green houses of the present population of couch grass and horsetail, with the intention of hiting the re-growth with the current herbicide of choice when it re-grew. I bought three tomato plants, some sweet pea seedlings and some African marigolds from the local garden center. I also started some Telegraph and La Diva cucumbers from seed. They are all fruiting, but I don't know if I'm going to get any more than gherkins and green tomatoes, given the late start. I've also got a tray each of very small bellis and digitalis seedlings that may or may not get big enough to plant out before spring.

At the start of July I broke my ankle quite comprehensively and have only just got back to the stage where I'm semi mobile and can consider venturing forth from the house...

Over the weekend, I've started soaking the dried out 2' deep beds in No2 greenhouse, with the thought of leaving the door and vents open and putting some pak choi in there.

Has anyone got any suggestions for what else I can achieve this year?

[Penellype]

Sorry to hear of your problems - lets hope they are now behind you. Your cucumbers and tomatoes should still have time to produce ripe fruit.

There are plenty of things you can still sow in August, if you do it sooner rather than later. Some suggestions are spring cabbage, kale, mustard greens, kohlrabi, peas for pea shoots, spring onions, chard and turnips, which can all be direct sown outside or under cover, and you could try round carrots, beetroot for baby beets, salads, spinach and florence fennel indoors, although it may depend on how much sun your greenhouse gets later in the year.

[Mark Rand]

Thanks for the encouragement. There are now Pak Choi (must keep cool!), Kohlrabi and lettuce seeds in the beds. There will be some spring onions (for next spring!) tomorrow and parsley seeds in the next day or two after a bit of a soak.

I've pinched out the tomatoes (all cordon varieties) after 5 bunches, because, I'd normally expect to be harvesting by very early June, and being at peak production about now. So that should give them a chance to prodce something.

[Nicos]

Sorry to hear about your ankle, although it doesn’t seem to have stopped you from achieving a lot already! Well done.

Remember - you also need to get a seat installed in one of the greenhouses where you can just sit, have a brew and help yourself to mend. Don’t overdo things!
(Grab some Lambs lettuce seed too for later in the season.)