我的菜園五月在種什麼？What Am I Growing in My Vegetable Garden in May?
步入五月，天氣和暖，可以種植的蔬菜更多了，以下會一一介紹。此外，為了充分運用花園好陽光的位置，增加種植空間，我用卡板做了新的種植架。這些以前在DIY網頁常見的種植架，搬來英國居住後終於可以擁有了！
As May arrives and the weather warms up, the range of vegetables I can grow expands. I will introduce them one by one in this article. Furthermore, in order to fully utilise the sunlit areas of the garden and increase growing space, I have constructed some new planters. These pallet planters, common on DIY websites, are something I had always wanted to possess. Living in the UK finally allowed me to own one.
芥蘭 Kai Lan
上個月移植到室外的芥蘭，終於可以收成了！它的葉片有點黃，本來可以施肥後多等一下，待其吸收營養變綠一些，也大棵一些才收割。可是，實在太久沒吃過芥蘭，等不及了！
The Kai Lan plants I transplanted outdoors last month are finally ready for harvest! Its leaves are a bit yellow, indicating a need for a feed. In theory, it would benefit from fertilisation and a bit more wait before harvesting, allowing it to absorb nutrients and grow bigger after a week or so. However, it has been too long since we last tasted Kai Lan, and I just couldn’t wait any longer!
菜心 Choy Sum
本月開始種菜心。去年菜心種得不好，菜苗未長大便已抽苔開花。今年天氣那麼熱，相信情況不會好很多。不過小有小吃，可以吃菜心苗也不錯。
This is the month when I can sow some Choy Sum seeds. Last year’s yield was disappointing, as the plants bolted before reaching a mature size. With the hot weather this year, I wonder if they will fare any better than last year. Nevertheless, the idea of enjoying some Choy Sum seedlings is still appealing.
紅葉白菜 Red Leaf Bak Choy
種了幾棵紅葉白菜，被鼻涕蟲咬了。無辦法，當是「交陀地費」吧！
I have only grown a few of these. Their leaves have been nibbled on by slugs! Well, I can only see it as paying rent to the native animals in my garden!
士多啤梨 Strawberry
月頭有一個星期較忙，疏於務農，然後走出花園突然發現士多啤梨已經冒出來了！好興奮！
Earlier in the month I was too busy to tend to the garden. When I finally had time to do some gardening work, I discovered that some strawberries are already emerging. How exciting!
節瓜 Hairy Gourd
今年節瓜發苗律不俗，有幾粒種子成功發芽了！去年我只種到一棵節瓜，要夾到雌雄花同時出來授粉，需要一點運氣。今年這幾棵幼苗都長得成的話，雌雄花同時出現的機會就大很多了！
This year’s Hairy Gourd seed are doing quite well; a few germinated. Last year, I only managed to grow one plant, and as it came to the time for pollination, I had to rely on some luck to have both male and female flowers at the same time. This year, if all these seedlings grow healthily, the chances of simultaneous flower appearance will be much greater!
蕃薯葉 Sweet Potato Leaves
兩棵蕃薯苗成功越冬，長得不錯，今年可以不用重新買菜苗，省錢之餘也更快有收成。另一棵用別的方法保全下來越冬的，也種到泥裏去了；且看實驗會否成功。
My two sweet potato plants successfully overwintered and are growing nicely. So, this year, I won’t need to buy new slips. Not only does it save money but also promises an earlier harvest. I also managed to preserve one slip over winter using a different method, and it’s now been planted in the soil. Let’s see if this experiment pays off.
油麥菜 Indian Lettuce
繼續有收成，但味道開始帶苦，所以播了新一輪的種子接力。我把最強壯的兩棵留了下來，讓它開花結籽，然後留種子，因為之前購買的種子快用光了。
While there’s still a harvest, the taste of the leaves is starting to turn bitter. So, I’ve sown a new batch of seeds for succession. I’ve kept the two strongest plants to flower and set seeds because my Indian Lettuce seeds are running low.
豆苗 Pea Shoots
陸續採收了幾輪後，差不多是時候拔掉，騰出花盆種其他菜了。
After several rounds of harvest, it’s about time to pull them out and free up the pots for other veggies.
唐蒿 Garland Chrysanthemum
老化的唐蒿已經拔掉，留下來開花結籽的幾株，開始長高和出花蕾。
The aging plants have been removed, leaving only these few ones reserved for saving seeds. They are beginning to bolt and forming flower buds.
蒜頭 Garlic
繼續正常生長。其中一批說是五月收成的品種，還未長出蒜心，我偷偷掘開泥土看看，蒜頭仍未開始脹大，似乎未會那麼快有收成。
They continue to grow steadily. According to the description of the species, one batch is expected to be ready in May. However, I haven’t seen any scapes forming yet. I sneakily dug into the soil to check if the bulbs have started swelling yet, and they haven’t, so it seems the harvest won’t be as soon as anticipated.
芥蘭頭 Kolhrabi
芥蘭頭長大了很多，但有幾棵被鼻涕蟲吃精光了。嗚嗚！
The Kohlrabi has grown much larger, but some have been ravaged by slugs!
韭菜 Garlic Chive
它們生長平穩而緩慢。我另外發了一輪種子，用濕紙巾包着放在保鮮袋內，放置在家裏放熱水缸那個櫃內，幫助其發芽。
They’re growing steadily but slowly. I’ve started another round of seeds by wrapping them in moist paper towels inside ziplock bags and placing them in a warm cabinet near the hot water tank to aid germination.
葱 Spring Onion
今年打算種多點葱。除了把買回來的葱剪頭、浸根、種在泥裏，也把一些發了芽的蔥頭放在泥裏種。後者比前者種得粗壯。
I plan to grow more Spring Onions this year. Besides planting the cut out stems from store-bought Spring Onions, I also planted some sprouted shallots in soil. The latter produces thicker plants than the former.
芫茜 Coriander
芫茜也是今年想種多一些的。首次用種子種芫茜，效果不錯。（以往都是買盆栽回來種的。）
I also plan to grow more Coriander this year and it is the first time I grow them from seeds (I usually buy potted plants). The results are promising.
生菜 Lettuce
兩個月前從菜檔買回來的連根生菜，種在盆裏吃多少採摘多少，一直吃到現在！另外種植的沙律菜也一樣逐些逐些摘來吃。
I bought this living Lettuce two months ago, harvested its leaves as needed, and it is still producing! I also have a pot of Salad Lettuce that I harvest as they grow.
蘋果樹 Apple Tree
蘋果樹開始結果。
The Apple Tree is beginning to fruit.
各式香草 Herbs
五月可以開始種植羅勒了！我在超市買了一盆回來，分成四株種植。（相關文章）三月播種的刁草也長得很茂盛。其他多年生香草，有些長得好些，有些差些，有些凋謝。種菜就是那樣，有成功有失敗吧！
May is a good time to start planting basil so I bought a pot from the supermarket and divided it into four plants. (related article) The Dill I sowed in March is going strong. As for the other perennial herbs, some are doing better than the others; some didn’t survive. That is just how gardening goes, with its successes and failures
辣椒 Chili Pepper
上月好像太早把辣椒放出戶外了，它適應不來，葉子都掉光了。希望今個月它會長回來吧！
I think I have put the Chilli Pepper plant outdoors too early. It lost all its leaves in the cold! Hope it will bounce back this month!
薑 Ginger
跟上月沒有什麼變化。長得真慢！
It doesn’t show any progress compared with last month. It’s growing really slowly!
檸檬 Lemon
小檸檬樹看來仍沒有什麼起色！
The small Lemon Tree still doesn’t seem to be making much progress!
