I hope you’re all well and enjoying these long, warm evenings. It feels like we’re properly into the rhythm of summer now, although after such a hot and dry start to the season I feel like it should be Autumn soon! In North Yorkshire we are forecast some much needed rain this week and I don't think I've ever been so happy to see rain on the forecast.
Despiste the rocky start to the season, everything is really coming on and the beds are looking full — there are cucumbers and courgettes appearing almost overnight, tomatoes begining to ripen and the cosmos and zinnias are starting to bloom.
Here’s what’s been happening lately, and a few things to try as we begin to tip towards high summer…
In the Garden: Picking, Pruning & Planning Ahead
For many crops its peak harvest time — but its also the time to pause and think about what you want to grow throughout autumn and beyond. Its always hard to think of autumn and winter whilst we're still firmly in summer but for succession and all year growing its vital to plan ahead. I’ve been harvesting broad beans, early potatoes, courgettes, and salad leaves, and beginning to plan out spaces for autumn brassicas, leafy greens, and overwintering crops.
Keep deadheading your annual flowers (cosmos, calendula, sweet peas etc) to encourage more blooms, and consider giving leggy plants a light prune to encourage bushier growth.
Remember to regularly harvest your crops such as cucumbers and courgettes to keep the plants producing for longer.
If your garden is starting to feel a bit “tired” in places, now’s a great moment to refresh beds with a little compost and a new round of sowing. Why not try a planting of carrots and onions, they're great companions and will give you a late harvest, carrots can be tricky to get to germinate so check out my video below on how to get your carrots to germinate everytime.
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Things to Sow Now:
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Autumn salads: chicory, endive, mustards, land cress
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Leafy greens: kale, chard, perpetual spinach
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Carrots and beetroot (for late harvests)
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Spring onions and turnips
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Herbs: coriander, dill, parsley
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Green manures: phacelia, clover or field beans to rest tired soil
Preserving Summer: Drying, Freezing & Storing
This is when you start to feel the real joy of growing your own — not just for now, but for the weeks to come.
I’ve started drying bunches of mint and oregano in the kitchen, popping chopped herbs into ice cube trays for winter stews, and freezing excess peas and broad beans. If your courgette glut is in full force, try grating and freezing it for soups or bakes later on, or pickling it like you would gherkins.
Community Garden Update – Mid July
It’s been a busy few weeks! The haybale bed building was a great success — thank you to everyone who came along to help. It’s such a brilliant low-cost, low-dig method for growing in new or tricky spots. We have planted them up with squash and I’m excited to see how they perform.
In the tunnel the tomatoes are really coming on, the basil is thick and fragrant, and the cucumbers are cropping daily. Outside, the no-dig beds are dense with growth, and we're looking forward to doing our first proper harvest to share with volunteers and the community!
Our next Volunteer & Learn Day will be all about cover crops and living pathways — we’ll look at how we can feed and aid the soil as well as creating low cost and biodiverse pathways.
If you'd like to be added to the community project’s WhatsApp group, just drop your name and number to: [email protected]
Garden to Plate Recipe: Marinated Courgette Ribbons with Lemon & Mint
If your courgettes are piling up, this is a quick, fresh way to enjoy them — lovely as a side dish, in wraps, or on toast with with plant based feta.
Ingredients:
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2–3 courgettes, sliced into thin ribbons
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Juice of half a lemon
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A small clove of garlic, crushed
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A glug of olive oil
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Handful of fresh mint, chopped
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Salt & pepper
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Optional: chilli flakes or toasted pine nuts
Method:
Lay your courgette ribbons in a bowl, sprinkle with a little salt and leave to sit for 10–15 mins. Then drain off any liquid and toss with lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, mint and a crack of black pepper. Add extras if you like a little heat or crunch.
Marinate for at least 30 minutes — or longer in the fridge. Delicious with grilled bread or alongside any summer meal.
Coming up in the next newsletter:
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Harvesting herbs and how to dry them well
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How to bring more wildlife into your garden
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Preparing your garden for autumn crops
As always, I’d love to hear from you — what’s growing well, what you’re struggling with, and what you’re making in your kitchens.
Until next time,
Jamie
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