Schools 

Late Spring/Summer

Be water wise, and be ready for summer dry spells. Collect rainwater in tubs, think of other ways of recycling water for keeping your plants happy – you could recycle the water after your bath, or from a dehumidifier. Or grow plants that can cope with dry spells, like Houseleeks (Sedum species), Alyssum or Lamb’s Ears (Stachys byzantina).

Watch out for pests! Greenfly can multiply rapidly during summer months, and cause flowerbuds to wrinkle, as well as passing on viruses and other diseases. Remove them by hand as soon as they start to appear, to prevent them getting too settled. If you’ve got lots of them, try spraying soapy water all over the affected plant(s). Best of all, encourage natural greenfly predators - ladybirds and lacewings – into your garden by planting up Fennel, Borage, Marigolds and Lemon Balm in your garden.

It’s not too late to grow some vegetables! Fast-growing salad veg like radishes, lettuce and swiss chard can all be grown from seed and harvested within 30-60 days. Leafy greens like lettuce and pak choi don’t even have to reach maturity before you harvest them. Instead, leaves can be picked and eaten when you want them, leaving the parent plant to produce more new growth. For a continuous supply of salad veg, sow a few seeds at a time, at 3-week intervals through the summer. Sit back, relax and enjoy some beautiful salads...

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