Plant a strawberry pot – and five other jobs in the veg plot

Strawberries are one of the traditional tastes of summer, conjuring up romantic images of country weddings, cream teas and summer picnics.
There are lots of strawberry planters on the market and a wealth of strawberry varieties to try. Old tried and tested types such as ‘Cambridge Favourite’ and ‘Royal Sovereign’ have earned their place in the garden over decades and both are ready to harvest in June. But there are lots of new delicious strawberry varieties to try, too. If you choose carefully it’s possible to have strawberries from May to October.
In a tiered container you could even plant early and late varieties. ‘Mae’ is one of the earliest, cropping in late May. ‘Florence’ is disease resistant and fruits appear from midsummer to the end of July.
Everbearing strawberries such as ‘Albion’ and ‘Flamenco’ have the longest season. They start to fruit in June and in a mild autumn you could still be picking berries in November.
In a container, the success of the crop depends on good soil, good drainage and feeding. Use a weak high potassium feed such as tomato food at quarter strength. Give the plants a steady supply of water when the fruits start to swell. 
Whichever planter you choose, make sure it has excellent drainage because wet soil causes the crowns to rot and encourages mould. Add a layer of drainage crocks before planting. In small or tiered planters this should be adequate but in large, deep planters, add extra drainage.
An easy way to do this is to insert a plastic pipe through the middle of the planter and fill it with grit. Remove the pipe once the planter has been filled with compost.

Pot on aubergines in the greenhouse
Aubergines seeds sown early last month should have developed into sturdy seedlings.
These should be potted on once they reach about 5cm (2in) tall and have produced
two pairs of leaves.
 Discard any weak seedlings and pot the rest into individual 7cm to 8cm (3-31⁄2in) pots filled with potting compost mixed with a little vermiculite.
Water in and keep on a sunny windowsill or in the greenhouse to grow on.

Net veg plants to protect against pigeons
Pigeons love the fresh juicy shoots of emerging vegetables, and members of the brassica family seem to be particular favourites.
The only deterrent is to permanently cover your crops with netting. For short crops drape netting over them and weigh down with stones to stop the wind taking it.
For taller-growing crops construct a framework of canes to support a netting canopy. Tie it in well but make sure you can remove it easily for regular weeding duties.

Start harvesting salad leaves
Salad leaves sown a few weeks ago are ready to be picked.
They’re at their best eaten young and fresh and many of them will sprout again after they’ve been cut, as long as they’re growing somewhere light and warm.
As you start harvesting your first crop of leaves, sow a few more seeds in the ground or in a pot so you have a continuous supply through the season.
There are lots of speedy salad mixes to choose from with new and unusual leaves, so try a few different varieties this year.

Sow calabrese for a summer crop
Calabrese is a good crop to grow if your soil tends to be on the heavy side. Sow and grow in well-dug soil in full sun for the best crop, although calabrese will tolerate some shade.
Calabrese is best direct sown rather than started in modules as it doesn’t respond well to being transplanted. Sow seed 30cm (12in) apart in rows 45cm (18in) apart; any closer than this and the plants will produce smaller heads.
Water in well and keep watering regularly. You should be harvesting your first crop by the end of July.

Protect early-sown vegetables
Although the days seem to be warming up nicely now, nights are still cold, and there’s still a danger of overnight frosts until the end of the month.
If you live in a colder part of the country or your garden is on an exposed site, it’s best to keep young veg crops covered for the time being. This will protect soft new shoots from frost burn and help keep the soil at a more consistent temperature.

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