First tomato planting

With the high temperatures continuing and no rain in sight, it is better to be patient and move small tomato plants out into garden beds slowly. Planting in pots or containers is different, they can go outside now but do require extra attention for watering. Young plants are better started in shaded spots or provided with shade covering to protect them from the hard sun.

Tomatoes started in pots can end up leggy and spindly. This can all be corrected when planted out. First carefully bury the plant stem up to the first 2 leaves. Provide the plant with a garden cane and carefully tie the plant loosely to the cane. Start with one or two plants rather than a full set. Then come back the next day and find a slug has decapitated the plant. Keep back spares.

Climbing beans and runner beans are a good way to create shade cover over tomatoes or other plants. By training the beans on strings first vertically the plants can then be directed horizontally to cover over areas. Beans can also be grown over walls and the ends snipped off when they reach the desired height. They are fast growing with flowers and beans to follow in 6 weeks.

Radish are every gardeners secret favourites. They grow easily in most soils and produce well. The main trick with growing radish in containers or pots is, less is more. Better to get 4 or 5 good radish in a pot that 10 squashed and mis-shaped specimens. There are many varieties available which can be planted all year round. Every kitchen garden should have trays of radish growing.

The heavy heat is no friend for lettuce crops in containers. These need to be moved into shade and kept well watered. In this garden it is noticeable that the chards and leaf beets stand up better to the extreme heat, even out in the open. While lettuce can be started now quite well, its duration will be reduced as temperatures rise. The chards seem to handle this better.

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