Monty Don has shared his top tips for gardeners looking to get ahead and start planting for an autumn harvest
Monty Don’s top pick for planting in July comes with special instructions(Image: ADRIAN DENNIS, AFP via Getty Images)
Summer has arrived, and if you’re keen to make the most of your garden, Monty Don has some advice. The expert is encouraging people to shift their attention away from summer plants, and towards productive autumn crops.
As an initial recommendation, his leading choice is lettuce – a dependable, consistent harvest that will remain robust well into autumn. According to Monty, the present moment is the optimal time to plant lettuce for maximum effectiveness and rapid germination, meaning you could be collecting your crop within six to eight weeks.
However, there’s a particular method to follow, he suggests.
Monty’s advice recommends starting seeds in plug trays instead of sowing directly into open ground, to shield the fragile emerging seedlings from slugs and snails – the primary threats to young lettuce.
Following that, hold off until they’ve developed sufficiently – typically by August – and then transplant them, positioned approximately 9 inches (22cm) apart. For more seasoned gardeners, a suggestion is to utilise the spaces left by earlier crops such as broad beans or peas, reports the Express.
Start seeds in pots or plug trays to keep them away from slugs and other predators(Image: Getty)
The specialist emphasises the significance of the spacing approach, noting that cramming seedlings together doesn’t aid their growth: “Do not be tempted to leave a sprinkle of seed that develops into a bunch of spindly seedlings,” he warns, “but thin and encourage each individual plant to be strong.”
By providing them 9 inches of space, he suggests, you’ll enable them to “become really vigorous,” establishing a far stronger root system. Another factor worth considering is timing.
If your seedlings were grown in a shaded location, Monty recommends gradually acclimatising them outdoors beforehand, then planting during the late afternoon. This allows them sufficient time to establish themselves in the soil overnight before contending with the harsh midday sun.
He also offers guidance on watering. Monty advises keeping the soil consistently moist, as this prevents plants from drying out and bolting.
Monty Don has said that “if you only have lettuce then you always have a salad”(Image: Getty)
For those living in particularly warm areas, he recommends sowing in shaded positions and laying newspaper over the ground to maintain steady temperatures throughout germination.
Then, as autumn arrives, Monty suggests you’ll hopefully be rewarded with a splendid crop of what he considers the most essential vegetable. As he once put it: “You can make a salad from all kinds of things but if you only have lettuce then you always have a salad.”
One final piece of advice is not to worry excessively about the heat, as it isn’t the primary challenge during July and August gardening. Rather, keep a close eye on the rapidly diminishing daylight hours, and resist the temptation to sow one large batch simultaneously.
Instead, maintain a modest, steady supply throughout the season.
Beyond lettuce, Monty highlights other July planting favourites such as parsley – ideal for a winter and early spring harvest, applying precisely the same thinning and spacing principles as lettuce – alongside fruits such as raspberries.
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