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| Compost Corner 
WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING ON YOUR PLOT IN FEBRUARY Hello Again, how’s your plot? Now, if conditions allow, complete winter digging and prepare seedbeds, covering with clear polythene or cloches to warm the soil before sowing seeds. Consider a plan for a crop rotation system for your plot. From mid February onward, sow greenhouse tomatoes and cucumbers at 21Degrees. If conditions permit, on light soils sow broad beans, carrots, parsnips, early beetroot, bulb onion sets, lettuce, radish and cabbage under cloches. Autumn raspberries can be pruned at this time, cut the canes to ground level. Last, but by no means least, put seed potato tubers in a light, cool, frost-free position in your greenhouse, if you are posh like me and have one! There’s not too much to do this time of year, which gives you more time to get to the pub for a well earned drink but if you can get all the above done by the end of February, you are doing very well! If you have any questions about you plot, then I might be able to help. That’s all for February, more tips next time. Good gardening! Things To Do On The Allotment In January
January is normally a bleak, cold and wet time on the allotment, but this is the time to dig and muck your plot, although going down to the Fountain for a pint or two is much more inviting, never the less the digging and mucking has to be done. If weather permits, rake down a patch of ground to a fairly fine tilth, for now is the time to plant a few shallots and garlic cloves. Fertilise them with a good sprinkling of Growmor. This will give ‘em a good start. If your rich (like me) and have a greenhouse, try planting some early broad beans in pots they should be ready for planting out in early March. Also, onion seeds benefit in this way. Sow a few seeds in a tray and put them in a propagator at 70 degrees F. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, plant them into 3 inch pots and put them on a heat mat at 60 degrees F and by early May they will be ready to plant out in your plot. This will produce specimen onions suitable for “Showing”. More about “Showing” in the future. Three’s not much more to say at this time, but things will get busier as spring draws nearer. That’s all for this month. Good gardening! King. Ed. Ward | |||||||||||||||
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