Vegetable Seeds to Sow in May
May is the month to juggle Potting On & Planting outside & a few more sowings for good measure with a packed greenhouse/mini greenhouse!
Yippee, it’s time to move your seedlings to the greenhouse or mini greenhouse. The chance of frost is mostly gone unless you live in the North of the UK, then it will be up to the end of May.
Read ‘Hardening off’ before moving your seedlings outside gently.
Sowing in the Greenhouse – May
Sow Winter Squash
Its time to start thinking about autumn and sow your winter squashes.
There’s so many to choose from acorn, butternut, spaghetti or turban squash. Start ticking off the types by sowing now in May!
Sow Mini Melons
Mini Melons are a real joy to grow in the greenhouse, just remember the supports! Start seeds off in Mid May in the greenhouse. Choose from cantaloupe (orange flesh), baby watermelon or other sweet melon types. Yes you can grow these in the UK.
Sow Pumpkins
It’s time to think about Halloween and choose a pumpkin size & colour to sow this year in May. You’ll need a raised bed or border, lots of compost or well rotted manure. Also lots of space for the vine to ramble.
Jobs To Do in May
Potting On to a larger Pot
Potting on your seedlings is a really important step in the plants journey. Then it can continue its growth and give you lovely fruits & veg.
Find out more reasons to Pot on seedlings into a bigger pot.
Hardening Off Plants
Hardening Off your plants simply means moving them outside slowly. This gives them a taster of what it’s going to be like. If you put them straight outside, it would be like you going outside in the winter without a coat on!
Transplanting Plants
Transplanting Plants means moving them from the greenhouse to planting outside in the ground.
Here are some Videos:
Seed Sowing Updates from Jan, Feb, March & April
Mini Cucumbers are go!
Mini Cucumbers – Have you grown them? They are a hit in our household for snacking. They keep producing for a long period, you’ll only need a few plants to harvest cucumbers everyday for two months!
Companion Planting with Brassicas & Garlic
In the Veg Lab, this month, I’m experimenting with Companion Planting – Does it really work? My live experiment is taking place in my raised bed now. Find out more below
Final Potting on Tomatoes before Grow-bag Planting
Second potting on for the tomatoes, as they are still a bit small for their final grow-bag yet. Tomatoes need consistent water so it’s time to work out the watering set
The Veg Garden in May
Fruit in the Veg Garden
Over the past 3 years, we have added and pruned columnar (Minature) apple & one pear tree. After pruning them early this year & checking for pests, we might just get a bumper apple harvest and I’m still ever hopeful for a pear.
Peas Pods are here!
Peas sown in March are ready to go in the ground, the quicker they get planted, the quicker the peas grow!
There’s still time to sow Maincrop Peas direct into the ground in May. Start sowing today!
Container Veg & Fruit Garden walkthrough
Here’s my Container Veg Garden walkthrough video in May. There is lots growing from peas, carrots & garlic, blueberries to strawberries. Here is the inspiration to start growing in containers today!
Harvests in May
Spinach
Spinach sown in March is now ready to harvest. Sow now to top up your spinach supplies. I sow perpetual spinach as it lasts all summer and overwinter. The leaves are huge and is in the Chard family.
Radish
Radishes are the fastest vegetable to grow from seed to plate in 4 weeks! Sow outdoors in the soil now for a great crunch in your salads in just one months time!
Lettuce
Lettuce is one of the quickest vegetables to sow. Keep sowing looseleaf lettuce all summer to top up your lettuce in what’s called successional sowings.
sowgrowharvest.co.uk 