10/06/2026
This week you can sow for autumn harvests and beyond. The warmer weather means germination is usually much quicker now, but keeping seeds moist is absolutely key. Compost should feel like a moist chocolate cake â not dry and crumbly, but not soaking wet either. If youâre struggling to keep trays damp in this heat, sit them on capillary matting or a shallow tray of water and let them draw up what they need.
Iâm especially excited that bean sowing season is in full swing! Runner beans, climbing beans and dwarf beans can all be sown now and will race away once the temperatures stay warm.
Donât forget the flowers either đ¸ Marigolds are one of my favourite companion plants. The more flowers you have around the veg patch, the more pollinators youâll attract. Those pollinators donât just help the flowers â theyâll also help pollinate crops like courgettes, cucumbers and squash, leading to better harvests later in the season.
One final tip⌠resist the temptation to plant everything straight into the ground. Young seedlings still make an easy meal for slugs, snails and hungry rodents, and cold nights can still check growth. I continue to get my best results by raising seedlings under cover until theyâre strong enough to fend for themselves.