Well, if the rain ever stops it will be high summer and time to crop till you drop. Here, allotment gardener and writer Caroline Foley offers her pick of tips for July:
'Pinch out runner beans shoots when they reach the top of the canes. This will encourage the plants to put their energy into making more side shoots (hence more beans) instead of growing ever taller. On the same principle, nip off the tips of the trailing stems of squashes - courgettes, pumpkins and cucumbers, so they can concentrate on their fruits.'
'Bush tomatoes don't need pruning but tall cordon varieties do. When four trusses have formed, leave them to ripen but take out any other side shoots. The reason for this is that, as British summers are shorter than Mexican ones where the wild tomato grows, four trusses are as much as can be expected to ripen before the frosts. Nip off the growing tip at the top of the plant for good measure. The effect will be to draw up plant foods to the highest truss.'
'Keep the fruiting vegetables (tomatoes aubergines, peppers and the marrow family) fed weekly with a high potash fertilizer. The organic version is rock potash or specific organic tomato fertilizers. For stockists see here and here.
'Harvest potatoes if you haven't already. Lift one to check the progress of the crop. If they are ready, dig them up as you want them for taste-the-difference freshness. 'Early' potatoes don't store well. If they are still marble-sized give them a good soaking to maximize the crop.'
'Dig up onions, garlic and shallots when the leaves turn yellow. If the weather is sunny, you can leave them to dry on the ground or - for better air circulation - make a platform out of chicken wire supported by four stakes. If the weather is wet, keep them under cover. When the skins are brown and papery, onions can be stored in a plait. Some people take the easy route and store them in old nylon tights. Garlic is usually dried hanging up.'
'When you have harvested the summer raspberries the plants are ready to be pruned. Untie all the scruffy old canes and cut them right down to the ground. Select the best and most vigorous new growth for next year's harvest and tie them in. Cut away any weak and unwanted stems.'
'When the strawberries are over, shear off the old leaves, clear away the straw and hoe off any weeds. If you haven't already done so, there is still time to make fresh plants for next year from the runners by pegging them down with hairpins of wire. They will put out roots and can then be severed from the parent plant. Ideally strawberries are grown on a three-year rotation. The standard method is to have three rows, one of which is replaced each year.'
'Harvest globe artichokes before the leaves open. If you miss this moment, leave them to flower for the bees to enjoy.'
'Keep picking herbs. When the shrubby ones - sage, rosemary and thyme - get lanky, trim them over with a pair of shears. Avoid cutting into the old wood as it doesn't regenerate well. Freeze the leaf trimmings of for winter use, dry them by hanging them in a warm and airy spot or use sprigs fresh to flavour oils. The flowers of culinary herbs are edible (usually having a similar but milder taste to the leaves) and can be used to decorate summer dishes.'
'Switch salads to the autumn types. Look for the oriental spicy salad mixes that include interesting tastes like komatsuna, pak choi, winter radish, mizuna or mibuna greens. For stockist, see here.'
Good luck and good harvesting.
