Draining during Raining

According to BBC weather, June's average temp ranges from 12 to 20 degrees. Comparing that average to this week's forecast, we seem to be just slightly cooler than normal. Prepare for the low temperatures by planting vegetables that grow better in cold weather. (Peas like cool weather, both snap and pod peas, and grow well along the biowall. Root vegetables such as beets and carrots need lower temperatures, as do lettuces, which tend to get bitter in warm weather. Also try planting brussels sprouts and other members of the cole family such as broccoli and cauliflower.)

When it comes to rain, however, we appear to have reason to grumble. June averages 11 days of wet weather per year, and by the end of this week, we'll have already met that mark. If the trend continues, we'll have double the number of rainy days that we normally get. How will this affect your crops? Rain produces two challenges: slugs and slimes.

Root rot of soybean is caused by the soil-borne water mold Phytophthora sojae. Image from wisc.edu

Moulds and other slimy fungi flourish in waterlogged soil. Spores use the water as a medium to spread, so good drainage will give your vegetables an advantage. If your garden slopes, you can build a French Drain system. Dig small trenches, fill them with gravel, and top them off with sand. The pockets of air will allow better circulation in the soil, discouraging mildew.

Another solution to water buildup is to used raised beds. Some people add a layer of broken pottery or gravel to the bed base before filling it in with soil - this will also allow circulation. The advantage of using a raised bed, whether gravel-bottomed or not, is that the soil won't be walked on. Trampling along the soil next to plant rows compacts the dirt, and vegetables won't get the air they need to prevent rot.

Along with moulds and fungi, snails will come to join the garden party after a rainfall. The leafy vegetables that you planted to take advantage of London's cooler climate are particularly vulnerable to snails. As a result, lettuce prices tend to rise in grocery stores if the summer is a wet one. Over the years, gardeners have invented some clever ways to outsmart the hungry mollusks - beer traps and garlic spray are favourties. Also, snails and slugs like to operate at night, so avoid watering the garden at night.

This weekend's refrigerator-esque weather is forecasted to continue into the coming week. Although we instinctually expect summer to be warm, this image that we cling to does little to inform smart planting choices. We use it to justify our complaints about shivering through "chillier-than-last-year" June days, but the truth is that London's summer climate is simply cold by nature. Keep that in mind when you go to buy seeds.