Life Hack: Four foods to plant in May and grow at home for summer dishes
Tomatoes are one of many foods you can easily grow at home. Picture: iStock
If you’re looking for a super-versatile food to add to your kitchen garden, it has to be tomato. Everyone’s favourite savoury fruit is the perfect plant to add to your arsenal so you can dip into it for salads, sandwiches, and much more. When growing tomatoes, it is important to make sure they get as much sun as possible. They are sub-tropical plants so full sun will deliver the best results. If you have the use of a polytunnel or a greenhouse, placing the tomato plant here will provide the best results in an Irish climate. Another aspect to consider is elevation — planting them against a wall or fence will allow them to receive enough water. Alternatively, raised beds or hanging baskets will offer good growing conditions for the plant, but if you re growing them in pots, provide the best compost available to you and add a fertiliser like liquid seaweed feed.
Another staple in many kitchens is the carrot. These can be sown from March to July in Ireland and are highly nutritious. In addition, they will last for a long time after they are harvested. Carrots are best sown directly in the soil, rather than transplanted. Make sure you keep the area free of weeds while the carrots are growing — once they are established the thick leaves will keep weeds at bay. You can pick baby carrots around eight-to-12 weeks after sowing while larger carrots will require more time to grow.
CLIMATE & SUSTAINABILITY HUB
Lettuce is so easy to grow yourself and can be available up to nine months of the year. May is a good time to plant these and they can be grown either indoors or outdoors so they are ideal if you are living in an apartment or have limited outdoor space. When growing from seed, sow one seed per module in a tray. Sow around 10 seeds every couple of weeks for a constant supply. Don’t cover the seeds with compost as they need light to germinate. If the weather is above 25 degrees, move the seeds to a cooler area like a shed or they will not grow. Plant the seedlings when they have four or five leaves. Keep the soil free of weeds water well when it is dry. When the leaves are ready to be harvested, do so early in the day as they will keep far longer. It is more likely to wilt if harvested later in the day.
Fresh beetroot is delicious and it is another food that is easily grown at home and is good for you too. beetroot can be used in a wide range of recipes, from boiling to baking. Sow your beetroot seeds about 2cm deep and plant a small batch every few weeks. Sowing in late May or June will allow for winter storage. again, keep the area free of weeds and by allowing space between the plants you will avoid fungal disease in your yield.
