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Courgettes


There are not many vegetables that are as rewarding, and easy to grow, as courgettes. May is a great time to get them started, they’ll pop up quickly and soon be supplying you with more tasty courgettes than you know what to do with!


If you’ve never grown courgettes before then I can highly recommend it as they give such a high yield from even just a couple of plants. In fact that would be my main advice - don’t be tempted to grow too many or you’ll be inundated! Plant the seeds undercover or on a windowsill from the beginning of the month. Put two seeds to a pot, laying them on their sides and covering with about 1” of compost. They usually germinate in a week to ten days and grow pretty rapidly. Remove the weaker of the seedlings. When the seedlings have 4 to 6 leaves start to harden off by placing outside during the day. Plant out after all risk of frost has passed. You can also start courgettes outside, directly into the bed in which they’ll grow but I’d wait until later in the month when the soil is a bit warmer.


The plants will grow quickly, producing exotic looking yellow flowers (look out for recipes for the flowers too). For maximum yields the plants should be harvested regularly. Tiny courgettes are very tasty, and don’t be tempted too turn your back on the plants for too long as they grow large at an amazing rate! Be careful with watering when seedlings as the stems can rot, but they’ll need plenty of water once they have grown. If you’re short of space courgettes can be grown in grow bags, planting two to a bag.


14


Jobs for May


Keep on earthing up your potatoes to prevent the tubers from turning green.


If you’re planted peas don’t forget that they’ll need some support from sticks or netting that they can climb up.


As the risk of frost passes, tender crops such as tomatoes or peppers can either be planted out, or on into grow bags.


Start winter greens such as


cabbages, sprouting broccoli and Brussels sprouts in a seedbed for transplanting to their final positions later.


If you’ve lost seedlings or had


trouble getting them started with all the cold weather don’t forget that you can always buy plants that have already been started.


Buying


young plants in is a great way to experiment with different varieties too - with so many types of tomato available it’s more fun to have several plants, each of different kinds, than half a dozen all the same.


To advertise in thewire t. 07720 429 613 e. the.wire@btinternet.com


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