Updated - 10/6/2023 ...
Complete any planting not done last week such as spare runner beans, French beans, squash, courgettes, outdoor toms and outdoor cucumbers. Most are growing well, it might just be the odd person that needs to do this.
Keep on top of weeds and pests. Weeds on Plot 251 are growing well in places, particularly near the grass paths. Hoe it all and, if time, fork out perennials. If you have time to fork out oxalis please do NOT compost. Better to hoe oxalis than do nothing. There is a blue container by my compost heap where I dump stuff such as oxalis to take to the tip. Blackfly are spreading so we need a blitz!
Two of the brassicas are more than large enough to plant out - red cabbage and calabrese. We'll plant the caulis next week. The net tunnel has room for 4 rows with 2 or 3 plants per row; we already have cabbages forming one row. They need the net protection from white butterfly catapillers as well as pigeons.
When you lift your first potatoes aim to create an open 1.2m wide row. We might sow carrots and beetroot here but not until next week.
When the spinach has finished, hoe and firm ready for more sowing/planting - probably lettuce modules next week and fennel after the solstice. Try to leave the soil/roots in situ, even on the surface, rather than adding soil to the compost heap. Allotment sites are notorious for having soil borne diseases, such as club root on brassicas and white rot on onions so we try to avoid spreading such diseases via the heap.
We need to find a 30cm row to plant our leeks; some did this in the space created by lifting a couple of potato plants and others by using a spare 30cm space.
The polytunnel plants need attention, particularly removing the sideshoots which are threatening to take over! Those in attendance can do this and I'll ask Jess to do a couple of before and after photos.
Harvest your lettuce regularly. Beetroot thinings can be harvested. There are herbs at the back of the plot which can be added to the salad bowl.
We planted some spare outdoor cucumbers and celeriac in the communal area of Plot 251. Please water these new planting if you are up during the week.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RoqR6VyiJo
Charles has a watering video from July last year. He explains the principles behind his watering regime. In early June we still have a large store of water under the surface soil but the principles apply. Concentrate on recent plantings and crops that are bulking up soon - broad beans, peas, beetroot, potatoes.
The soil is reasonably damp below the surface but seedlings need regular watering as the surface quickly dries out in hot weather.
Topics for Discussion if time
Foliage pests and root diseases
Plant succession
Watering in hot dry weather
Sowing in seedbed v sowing in modules