Clarence Booker
Crate of tomatoes, peppers and greens in dappled shade

June 21, 2026 · 5 min

The first ripe tomatoes

Picking at colour, not at full red, and what to do with a crate.

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  1. The tomato bed

    Deep planting, tall cages and a thick mulch from May on.

    1. Jan
    2. Feb
    3. Mar
    4. Apr
    5. May
    6. Jun
    7. Jul
    8. Aug
    9. Sep
    10. Oct
    11. Nov
    12. Dec

  2. The bean and pea bed

    Peas in March, beans in May and seed saved in the autumn.

    1. Jan
    2. Feb
    3. Mar
    4. Apr
    5. May
    6. The bean and pea bed, June: Picking beans little and often
    7. Jul
    8. Aug
    9. Sep
    10. Oct
    11. Nov
    12. Dec

  3. The greens bed

    Spinach, collards and kale cut at a comfortable height.

    1. Jan
    2. Feb
    3. Mar
    4. Apr
    5. May
    6. The greens bed, June: Making shade for the greens
    7. Jul
    8. Aug
    9. Sep
    10. Oct
    11. Nov
    12. Dec

  4. The root bed

    Carrots, beets and sweet potatoes in a deep, loose bed.

    1. Jan
    2. Feb
    3. Mar
    4. Apr
    5. May
    6. Jun
    7. Jul
    8. Aug
    9. Sep
    10. Oct
    11. Nov
    12. Dec

  5. The squash bed

    A raised hill, a bottle of water and plenty of room to run.

    1. Jan
    2. Feb
    3. Mar
    4. Apr
    5. May
    6. Jun
    7. Jul
    8. Aug
    9. Sep
    10. Oct
    11. Nov
    12. Dec
Porch table with shelled peas and iced tea

The bean and pea bed · June 2026

Picking beans little and often

A bowl on the porch and a bean a day, every day.