Rooko's February Top 10 Tryouts & Tips

1. Add some extra rain water harvesting containers to your garden or allotment before the current rain stops and we get a hosepipe ban introduced. (Californians may be too late).

2. If you are thinking of growing Carrots and/or Cabbages this season, try growing some Sage plants close to them as the Sage will discourage cabbage moths and carrot flies, as does Rosemary.

3. Many perennial plants can be divided this month if your beds and borders are not frozen or waterlogged. Large clumps can be divided into 5 or 6 smaller clumps and smaller clumps into 2 or 3 clumps. Re-plant the divided clumps straight away after division.

4. Lots of different types of vegetables can be sown outdoors (under cover) this month. Again make sure that their planting area is not waterlogged or subject to possible freezing.

5. Fruit trees and bushes can be fed with Sulphate of Potash this month.

6. Digging over allotment beds can still continue this month as well as lightly forking over flower beds and borders. Do not walk directly on wet soil whilst digging, use "walking boards" underfoot.

7. If you are planting out Strawberry plants this month give them a good covering of mulch to keep any frost off them.

8. Many types of seeds can be sown now, in heated greenhouses or similar. Beware of the seedlings damping off, after sowing early. Spraying early sown seedlings with a suitable fungicide may be necessary.

9. My local B & Q is currently selling seed potatoes (2 bags for £6), slightly cheaper than many other suppliers. Check out your local B & Q if your interested.

10.

SOWING/PLANTING IN FEBRUARY
1. Sow winter greens (under cloches or tunnels).
2. Sow round seeded peas (probably best in pots or trays).
3.  Sow tomatoes seeds early Feb (heated greenhouse) late Feb (unheated greenhouse).
4. Depending on conditions, sow broad beans, early peas for harvesting in May/June.
5. Parsnips can be sown in Feb but sowing in March may give better germination.
6. Try planting shallots under cloches.
7. Lettuce, radish and rocket can be started early under cloches or in the greenhouse.
8. Spinach, turnips and Summer cabbage can be sown under cover.
9. Sow onion seeds indoors (15degC).
10. Cane fruits can still be planted in Feb.

OTHER JOBS TO DO IN FEBRUARY
1. Cover over unused areas of the plot with cloches or black plastic sheeting to warm the soil earlier.
2. Clean out pots and trays.
3. Repair or replace any broken/damaged tools.
4. Feed the birds.

Splitting

No not that type of splitting or that type either. The north south divide was a phrase created several years ago to identify the different living standards of people living in the north and south of this country. With the recent localized weather conditions again, I think that now, it should also apply to the varying weather conditions "splitting" the country in half, somewhere around the Humber estuary, (see my post of). In my neck of the woods only 2 days in December were without any rain and about 4 and a half days so far this month without any. The temperatures are extremely mild for January and warm enough for me to wear a short sleeved shirt last Friday evening. I live only a few miles from the Somerset levels and approximately 25 square miles of land on and around the levels is still flooded. I thought it might make it to 30 before the national news reporters found out how to get there. With frost, blizzards and snow in the north of the country and a mini tornado in Surrey lifting cats off the ground, lol, I still can't make my mind up about global warming splitting this country into 2 different weather zones, cold up north, sub tropical down south. If you Yorkies think its cold up there, remember I lived there for 15 years, in the days of larders and no fridges (a vegetable growers nightmare).

The recent extremely rainy weather here has put my early sowing on hold down the plots, even sowing under cover is out of the question at the moment due to the wet ground. I ventured down to the plots yesterday afternoon mainly to check the security of my poly tunnel before the next deluge of rain accompanied by high winds set in last night. The conditions inside the tunnel itself were extremely damp all round. The allotments in general were looking windswept and in a sorry condition overall. After checking the condition of my sheds and poly tunnel and depositing some kitchen waste onto the compost heap it was time for home and some more decorating to finish off. All in all a boring December and January not achieving anything positive down the plots.

There's Always Tomorrow!!

Growing Asparagus (How To)

Having decided a while ago to try growing Asparagus for the first time and due to the recent rainy weather I began to scour the internet trying to find the best price for some Asparagus crowns. As the seeds can take some time to germinate I thought crowns would be a quicker option. I finally found a good price at www.crocus.co.uk where I purchased 30 crowns @ £2.49p for 3 crowns (Connovers colossal). The crowns duly arrived at the end of last week, they were well packaged and several packets contained an extra crown.

Preparation of the ground and planting are the keys to successful Asparagus growing. I spent most of Saturday digging over the area to be used removing weeds and stones as I went. Asparagus usually fare better in sandy well drained soil, in a sunny sheltered area and do not like waterlogged ground. I chose the best draining area of ground, on N1 Plot, for their bed. The soil was already fed with well rotted compost. On completion of the digging the soil was raked level and a few more stones removed. Trenches approximately 8 inches (20cm) deep were dug to which was added a mound of compost along the central length of the trenches. The Asparagus roots were spread out and each crown placed on top of the mounded compost, spacing them at about 12 inches (30cm) apart. The crowns were then covered with soil and more compost was added on top of the soil. I was dubious about planting the crowns this early in the year into damp, cold, ground but despite the recent wet weather the soil at the top end of my plots has been workable for a while now. Crowns are normally planted in Spring or Autumn into warmer soil.

Asparagus Planting 12/Jan/2014 (1st Row)

The Asparagus is a perennial plant and should yield its spears for at least 15 years, so obviously it needs a permanent area of ground to grow in. The plant comprises ferns, crowns or rhizomes and roots. The spears which are what we harvest are immature ferns. There are male and female Asparagus plants. One draw back with Asparagus is that it is not wise to harvest spears in the 1st year after sowing or planting, in fact it is probably best to wait until year 3 before harvesting any spears, so as not to weaken them. Asparagus are also heavy feeders so the addition of mulches/manure onto the Asparagus bed is essential, the more the merrier. Asparagus does not appreciate competition from weeds either, so a weed free bed is essential, especially in the preparation stage. Leave the ferns to grow and do not cut them back until they have yellowed and started to die back in the late Autumn, because they put energy back into the plant whilst growing. Feed with a general fertilizer in Spring. In Summer keep the plants adequately watered as they have a shallow root system. After the dead ferns have been removed in the Autumn, add well rotted manure to the crowns to keep any frosts away from them.


There's Always Tomorrow!!

Free Propagator

Just to let my readers know that Marshalls seeds are offering a free propagator when you purchase their allotment kitchen garden seed collection.

Click here to go to their website.

Weather Or Not

With dry weather during yesterday morning I ventured down to my plots mainly to see how wet the ground was and try to estimate when I would be able to complete the final preparation of it, before sowing and planting starts in earnest for this season. With the lower parts of N2 Plot still under several inches of water and all the grass areas and paths saturated, there was not much point in any digging, raking or early sowing taking place. Most of the beds on both plots, higher up the sloping ground were damp but workable if walking boards were used to stand on. I set about removing the few remaining Sprout plants from 1 of the top 2 beds on N1 Plot and turned over the soil, mixing it with the well rotted compost, on its surface, as I went across the bed. The soil was slightly sticky but broke down well, despite the recent deluges of rain, as the digging progressed. This bed will be used for roots this season. After about an hour, more rain clouds were gathering so I checked around the plots, removed a few weeds, cleared up some small tree branches blown about by the recent winds and consigned them to the compost heap. Hopefully this weekend, when a lull in the wet weather has been forecast here, some early sowing of Peas and Broad beans will be possible direct, with some brassicas being sown into pots/trays.

  LATEST FLOODS SOMERSET (LINK)

LINK 2

IF YOU THINK THERE ARE NO COVER UPS CLICK HERE

Whether it is Spring, Summer, Autumn or Winter, all gardeners and farmers have 1 thing in common. That single factor is the reliance on reasonable weather so that they can produce good plants, flowers or harvests of vegetables etc. This blog wasn't designed to be a "soap box" for opinions about global warming or climate change but the fact remains that warming, cooling, climate change or no climate change, gardening is still affected by numerous climatic and weather conditions. Due to the fact that the Prime Minister has finally acknowledged that the recent storms, floods, rain and wind, may be linked to climate change, (with the second meeting of the Cobra Committee taking place today, to discuss it). I suggest that ministers also swot up on global dimming as well. What does the future hold for farming and gardening in this country if the recent weather patterns continue or worsen?  I say it will be the same old story in this country. (Shut the door after the horse has bolted, we have lessons to be learned, (where's the lesson plan from last years floods then), lack of co-ordination and co-operation between authorities and others dealing with the problems caused by the weather, such as flooding, (too many cooks spoil the broth), under funding for flood defenses and improvement of old infrastructure (stop some of the foreign aid this country dishes out, for little return, and spend it on this country), stop the idiots who persistently plan housing and other building projects on or near flood plains, doing so,(it seems ludicrous to me that they are willing to build and sell properties that have the likelihood of  being flooded, but if you own one which is now subjected to flooding you can't sell it or easily get it insured). Get away from the outdated idea that sand bags cure the problem of flooding, (cheap options). Finally, a solution, buy everyone who lives in this country, outside of London, (they have the Thames barrier anyway, now there's a give away), a rowing boat or life raft plus a years supply of rice plants.

There's Always Tomorrow!! (Perhaps)!!

Rooko's January Top 10 Tryouts & Tips

1. Due to the recent nationwide wet weather, now is a good time for doing some of those gardening tasks that can be done undercover such as cleaning, repairing and sharpening gardening tools or purchasing new ones to replace those that are worn out. Well sharpened tools are easier to use than those that are not.

2. Don't leave it too late to order plant seeds or they may arrive too late to meet their sowing dates.

3. Now is a good time to check any stored vegetables for diseases, rot, mould or insect damage.

4. Digging of heavy soils should be completed this month. No dig beds will just need clearing of debris and weeds. If your soil is very acidic, the addition of lime, after digging, will help plants avail themselves of many nutrients. Do not lime directly after manure has been added to the ground.

5. Continue to clear away fallen leaves, other decaying vegetation, pots and items of debris lying around your garden or plot. Doing this will cut down on the amount of hiding places for slugs and snails.

6. Replace those tired old rose plants with new bare root varieties in January, unless your ground is frozen or waterlogged.

7. Forcing of vigorous growing Rhubarb plants can be started this month.

8. Onions can be sown from seed this month. Sow into compost in trays or plugs. Keep them at an approximate temperature of 20C. Transplant to individual pots when the plants are about 2 inches tall and once they are well rooted transfer them to a cold greenhouse or cold frame to harden off, before planting out into their final prepared onion bed.

9. If you intend to grow Runner beans this season, now is the time to make a Runner bean trench. Dig out the trench approximately 30 to 40 cm deep & wide and to the length you require. Line the trench with cardboard/newspaper and add kitchen waste, old brassica stems etc. Replace the soil over the waste materials when they have almost filled the trench. (Note: Do not use plastic covered cardboard).

10.

SOWING/PLANTING IN JANUARY
1. The use of poly tunnels or greenhouses in January & February is very useful.
2. Sow round seeded peas in trays/pots or direct if your ground is not saturated or inhabited by mice. Protect with cloches if necessary.
3. Winter Salads/oriental greens can be sown in trays/pots indoors for later planting out.
4. In warmer areas try hardy oriental greens under cloches.
5. Try Winter Lettuce again protect with cloches or tunnels.
6. Sow Broad Beans, protect if necessary.
7. Sow bulb Onion seeds under glass.
8. Sow Brussels Sprouts & carrots but protect from frost.
9. Harvest Sprouts, force Rhubarb, prune Apple & Pear trees.

OTHER JOBS TO DO IN JANUARY
1. Dig over any areas of the plot not already done, but take care as heavy wet soil will be damaged by digging,
2. Add organic matter or fertilizer depending on which crop is to be planted.
3.  Salvage fallen leaves for making leaf mould.
4.  Keep your plot tidy, check stakes/trees are secure from winds.
5. Fill any trenches (for runner beans) with compost/kitchen waste.
6.  Order seeds for later use.
7. Clean and disinfect greenhouses.
8. Feed the birds.

Waffle-ing

I heard on the National news earlier this morning that the extra pumps brought in again this year, to pump out the Somerset levels were doing just that. Funny that an earlier local report stated that the surrounding river levels were the same height as the water on the levels, therefor pumping water from the levels into these rivers would only result in the same water running back onto the levels. Earlier this morning all major roads into Yeovil were flooded and several minor roads around Taunton, Bridgwater and Wellington have been flooded or partially flooded since Christmas week. Heavy rain has just started here again (11-30 a.m.) after some respite yesterday.

The following is a summary of current flood risks from the Environmental Agency at 1030 5/Jan/2014

River levels in some larger and slower responding rivers in the south of England continue to rise in response to rainfall over recent days. As a result there is a medium likelihood of significant impacts from river flooding on the lower reaches of the River Stour and River Frome in Dorset today (Sunday) and tomorrow (Monday). There is also a medium likelihood of significant impacts from river flooding on the River Thames around Oxford on Monday and Tuesday. Ground conditions are wet or saturated meaning that most areas remain sensitive to further rainfall. Rivers are expected to respond readily to widespread rainfall today (Sunday) and tomorrow (Monday), resulting in a LOW risk of river flooding in south-east England and Dorset. With some heavy showery bursts of rain expected at times, there is also a LOW risk of surface water flooding across much of southern England and Wales today and tomorrow. In other parts of central and southern England, further ongoing river flooding is expected bringing a LOW overall river flood risk to the Somerset Levels and slower responding rivers in Gloucestershire, West Berkshire, Reading, Wokingham, Windsor and Maidenhead, Slough, Surrey, Buckinghamshire and Kent over the next three days. Likewise there is an ongoing LOW flood risk from groundwater in parts of Dorset and Wiltshire. Whilst the largest tides have now passed, tides remain high over the next three days. Large waves and surge around western coasts of England and Wales later today and tomorrow bring a LOW risk of coastal flooding risk for much of Wales and the north-west and south-west coasts of England.

As for my plots, 1 is waterlogged the other too wet to work on so another boring day indoors out of the rain is forecast.

N2 Plot (2/Jan/14)

Broad Beans Germinating Despite The Wet Soil (2/Jan/14)

There's Always Tomorrow!!