Rooko's March Top 10 Tryouts & Tips

1. Refresh your houseplants by removing some of their soil and replacing it with some new potting soil.

2. A great variety of plant seeds can be sown this month, both indoors and out. If you are unsure when and how to sow certain seeds check through any seed catalogs you may have, many will tell you when and how to sow seeds.

3. Keep some of your watering cans filled and in a sheltered place. When its time to water delicate seedlings the water being used should be a few degrees warmer, than water straight from the tap. This will help to stop seedlings being "shocked".

4. In my neck of the woods many birds are already looking for nesting sites. If you have built or purchased bird boxes over the Winter months, now is the time to put them outside.

5. Many gardeners will already have sown Tomato seeds somewhere warm. When planting out allow at least 3 feet (92cm) between plants. Remove some of the lower leaves and plant deeply. Add some sturdy stakes immediately after planting.

6. The dreaded job of weeding, if you have weeds appearing in your beds/borders now is the time to remove them (by their roots if possible), before they set seeds, giving you more work later.

7. Prune evergreen shrubs before their growth begins.

8. When your Daffodil flowers begin to fade, dead head them before they set seeds. This will save energy for the bulb hopefully adding it to the next display of flowers.

9. Mulch around trees and shrubs this month. Water in the mulch after adding it, to allow some of the nutrients to wash down to the roots more quickly.

10.

SOWING/PLANTING IN MARCH

1. Any remaining leeks should be lifted now. Pull any remaining parsnips.
2. Plant onions and shallots in mild areas.
3. In mid-March plant out early potatoes.
4. Others to sow this month: Beetroot, Broad beans, Early Carrots (under cloches), Early Peas, Brussels Sprouts (earlies), Kohl-Rabi, Leeks, Lettuce, Peas, Radish,Parsnips, Turnips.
5. Outdoor cucumber & Tomatoes can be sown now and kept in a greenhouse or propagator.
6. Plant fruit bushes/canes. Plant Summer Cabbages, Cauliflower (under cloches).

OTHER JOBS IN MARCH

1. Prune Apple and Pear trees early in the month.
2. Spread compost around the base of fruit trees/ bushes/canes.
3. Use cloches or fleece to warm up the ground prior to planting later.

Day 1

Apart from early January when I planted some Asparagus, visits to my plots has been out of the question due to, oddly enough, what else but rain. After 2 dry and sunny days last Monday & Tuesday I decided to begin this seasons first task last Wednesday on N1 Plot which is the drier of the 2 plots. The majority of ground on both N1 & N2 Plots was still mainly wet and sticky but the standing water of  late has drained away. Too early for sowing my favourite veggie, sweetcorn, I decided to prepare the ground where my 2nd favourite veggie, runner beans, will be situated this season. The main support framework of scaffolding poles is permanently erected, running down the length of the L-shape bed. The intention was to take out 2 trenches, 1 running each side of the poles, which at 8 inches (20 cm), spacing of the plants/seeds, gives me enough growing room for 110 bean plants. I dug out the first trench, taking the top soil out, down to just over a spits depth. Approximately 4 inches (10cm) of sub-soil was then loosened, removed and mixed with the top soil being stacked alongside the trench as it was dug out. When the 1st trench was dug out the base of it was lined with cardboard and shredded paper (brown waste), 6 bin bags full in all was used and will hopefully aid water retention during the long hot dry Summer months ahead. A layer of soil was then added on top of the card & paper. I then retrieved a couple of barrow loads of green waste from one of my soggy poor excuses for a compost heap, mainly brussels sprout stems. These were chopped and crushed with a bill hook and deposited on top of the first layer of soil in the trench. Another layer of soil was then added over the green waste. A marker was placed at each end of the trench to indicate the central line of the trench. This will ensure the plants/seeds are planted/sown immediately above the compost in the trench. By mid-afternoon the rain clouds were gathering again, so I held off on starting the 2nd trench and decided to turn my 2 soggy compost heaps instead, in an attempt to assist them to dry out. With another day of rain and hail today (and an earthquake next door in the Bristol Channel), I doubt if the compost heaps are any drier, but at least one task has been completed. This coming weekends weather is forecast to be dry here, so hopefully the 2nd trench will be finished by the start of next week. 

It was nice to hear several birds twittering and tweeting away, during my visit to the plots, whilst they were hiding away in the nearby hedgerows. Not exactly in full song but the sunny weather for the day, must have been a relief for them. Some wildlife I saw down the plots. 1 large common frog, 3 ladybirds, 1 very large bumble bee, 5 Cole tits and several male blackbirds.

1st Runner Bean Trench Dug 19/2/14

Brown Waste Added to Trench 19/2/14

Soil & Green Waste Added on Top of Brown Waste 19/2/14

Green Waste Topped Off with Soil 19/2/14

There's Always Tomorrow!!  

Lucky Lucky Lucky

Living not far from the Somerset Levels I consider myself lucky not to be affected by flooding, unlike many other unfortunate people living in various parts of the country. My latest video of my plots was taken earlier today, after another mornings rainfall. The rain has died away as I type and the wind is picking up yet again.

                                                   

 Just a couple more photographs taken earlier today. 

By the Entry Gate to the Allotments (14/Feb/14)

                                                                                           

More Storm Damage (14/Feb/14)

                                                                                            

 

There's Always Tomorrow!!                    

Dimwits!!

Is your plot/garden underwater at present. Mine is. Don't say I didn't drop a few hints in previous posts about the weather anomalies. The current weather is the storms before the calm.

There's Always Tomorrow!! Maybe.

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!!