A Hot Weekend Ahead – And a Few Garden Plans

It’s been a scorcher of a week here on the south coast, with record‑breaking temperatures and no sign of things cooling down just yet. With the heat set to continue into the weekend — and with my sister’s wedding on Saturday — I’ve been doing a bit more forward‑planning than usual.

The early mornings have actually been a blessing. I’ve been waking naturally around 5.30am, and by 6am I’m already out in the garden before work. There’s something special about that cool, quiet hour of the day, and I’ll be keeping that up this weekend.

First stop will be the allotment. I’ve harvested all my cherries this week, which has been brilliant, and now it’s the perfect moment to prune the stone fruit trees. I’ve also got the grass to strim — though not too early, for the neighbours’ sake — and a stubborn corner of brambles that needs clearing. It’s one of those jobs you don’t look forward to, but you feel great once it’s done.

Despite the heat, watering hasn’t been too bad thanks to a generous layer of mulch. Honestly, mulch is doing most of the heavy lifting right now.

Back home, we’ve made good progress in the garden, but the chicken area is looking a bit wild. It needs a tidy, although the overgrowth might actually be giving the hens some welcome shade. And then there’s my edible/nature pond — created to attract pest predators but also, in true me fashion, to be edible. It’s become a little overgrown, so I want to give it a spruce‑up and make it more inviting for frogs, toads, and all the other little helpers.

If you’re planning to do any gardening this weekend, please take it steady. Work in the cooler parts of the day and look after yourself.

A Few Jobs You Could Tackle This Weekend

If you’re looking for gentle tasks that suit the heat, here are a few ideas:

  • Water early in the morning or later in the evening, giving plants a deep soak.
  • Harvest soft fruits before the birds get too interested.
  • Lightly prune stone fruit trees now that picking is done.
  • Top up mulch on beds that are drying out quickly.
  • Sow heat‑lovers like basil or dwarf beans.
  • Spend time simply observing your garden — it’s amazing what you notice when you slow down.

Seed to Sow Today: Radicchio ‘Palla Rossa’

If you fancy sowing something new, Radicchio Palla Rossa is a great choice. Fill a tray or pot with good seed compost and firm it lightly so you’ve got a level surface. Sprinkle the seeds thinly across the top — they don’t need perfect spacing — then cover them with the lightest dusting of compost. Water gently so you don’t disturb the surface and keep the tray somewhere cool and shaded while they germinate.

Once the seedlings are big enough to handle, prick them out into modules or small pots and grow them on. When they’re sturdy and the weather is right, plant them out with enough room to form a nice tight head. And here’s a fun bonus: I once let one flower, and it produced the most beautiful blue blooms.

Until Next Time

Thanks for reading — and for being part of this journey. I’ll be back on Sunday with more updates. Take care in the heat.

The post A Hot Weekend Ahead – And a Few Garden Plans appeared first on The Veg Grower Podcast.



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