IT'S NEARLY SPRING! (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

IT'S NEARLY SPRING!

12:05pm Sunday 6th March 2011

• Print
• Email
• Comments(0)

At last spring is nearly here. We might expect March to come roaring in like a lion and go out like a lamb or vice versa but whatever the weather nothing can stop the burst of energy that gardeners get at this time of the year. The daylight hours are lengthening and the soil is beginning to warm up and, despite the bouts of really cold weather, the worst of winter is behind us. I took the advantage of a sunny spell during the week to look over the pots near my house. Unfortunately I have lost the French lavender and a young agapanthus, both on the tender side, but miraculously most other plants seem to be fine and are showing lots of leaf ready to open. A few buds on my two camellias have turned brown but by far the majority are beginning to show colour and seem to be getting ready to give their usual gorgeous display.

Along with lots of other gardeners I took the opportunity during the winter months to catch up on unread issues of gardening magazines and study seed catalogues. And now is the time to be getting ready for action and put into use the information and tips we have found out about. As soon as the soil is workable, and the weather is good enough, we can get on with the preparation of seedbeds ready for the new season’s crop of vegetables and plants.

Given the right weather, March is really the best time to get to grips with the kitchen garden. If your aim this year is to enjoy early crops of baby vegetables you can make a start by sowing parsnips and carrots in short rows. Because of the unpredictability of our weather it is probably better to start seedlings off in pots in the greenhouse or cold frame. Summer cauliflower, lettuce, onions, calabrese and leeks all benefit by being given early protection whilst the hardier veg such as broad beans, peas and mangetout are tough enough to be sown directly outside. If you are planting outside don’t forget to make use of the protection that horticultural fleece and cloches can give.

Readers who submit articles must agree to our terms of use. The content is the sole responsibility of the contributor and is unmoderated. But we will react if anything that breaks the rules comes to our attention. If you wish to complain about this article, contact us here

Comments are closed on this article.