This week In Stephanie’s Kitchen Garden we will be sowing crops such as spring cabbage, turnips, pak choi, autumn carrots and winter salads. As we are harvesting summer crops, such as new potatoes, the ground is being cleared for new crops to take their place. The ground will be dug over and we will be adding generous amounts of home made compost ready for seeds to be sown.
All our crops are being regularly fed and watered now to keep them productive through the hot summer weather. We will be planting leafy vegetables such as spinach, chard and rocket in the raised beds a t the back of the garden where it is shadier. The shade will help to prevent them from bolting which can happen in hot dry spells.
We will also be continuing to hoe our beds to keep them free of weeds. Weeds can take hold really quickly at this time of year and will take the goodness out of the soil, robbing our crops of precious nutrients.
The harvesting of our crops is fairly time consuming now as so many crops are ripe and ready to pick. This week we will be making jam from the huge blackcurrant crop we have gathered this year. Our blueberry harvest has also been amazing this year.
Our sweet potato plants are really starting to put on some growth and this week we will continue to tie them in to their obelisk supports. They are enjoying the hot weather and we are keeping them well watered to make sure they are happy and thriving.
This week we will also be harvesting courgettes, tomatoes, cucumber, French beans, tayberries, mange tout and broccoli.
