May feels like the month where things properly get underway. After a lot of planning, a bit of guessing, and the “will it / won’t it frost?” headache of April, suddenly everything is go, go, go!
This time last year, I was just going to visit some potential plots. Now, a year on, it’s crazy to think we’re busy getting started in earnest.
The biggest job this month is continuing to plant out. All those seeds that have been carefully nurtured (well… despite tipping a few over!) in the greenhouse and on the windowsills are finally ready to face the real world. The brassicas Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and cabbage are being moved into their beds, where they’ll hopefully thrive without being completely devoured by slugs.
This month also feels like the moment to be a bit more adventurous. We’re planting pumpkins, going for a mix of varieties and trying something a bit different by training them around an archway. In my head, this will look wonderfully Instagram-worthy, with pumpkins hanging neatly overhead. In reality… we’ll see. Either way, it feels like a fun experiment and something the twins are particularly excited about. These are also seeds I’ve saved from pumpkins we had last year.
Sweetcorn is also going in. We’re trying both traditional sweetcorn and a popping corn variety, which I’m irrationally excited about. Whether we end up with a successful crop or just a handful of slightly questionable cobs remains to be seen, but it’s all part of the learning.
The early potatoes, which went in not too long ago, are starting to show signs of life too.
Finally, in our main experiment of the year, I’m ambitiously (perhaps overly so) trying tomatillos; small, green, citrus-tart fruits that make the best tangy salsa. They need a lot of warmth, so we’ll see how they get on in the greenhouse.
There’s still plenty of trial and error, of course, but May feels hopeful.
By Lindsey Pierce
