Well here we are again, I am back from my travels and raring to get going in the garden, new season about to start and we are all itching to get out there.
Its probably best to hold your horses yet awhile, and use this time to plan what you are going to do and buy your seeds before the best varieties sell out. You can buy seeds online but unless you want a lot probably not worth paying the p and p.
Do expensive bags of lettuce leaves annoy you like they do me? You open a bag, use enough for a sandwich and when you go back to it they have all turned to mush. For the same price a packet of ‘cut and come again’ lettuce seeds will keep you with fresh supplies all summer.
Put new compost in seed trays or garden troughs or even large plant pots, water the compost and sprinkle your seeds on THINLY. Scatter a little compost on top and press down lightly so the seeds are in contact with the soil, keep moist, and hey presto in a few weeks you will have a crop of lettuce leaves. Watch out for slugs etc. especially under the tray, and watch your dog does not anoint your salad. You can do this in March if you have a greenhouse or conservatory or in May in the garden. Repeat every few weeks to keep your supply coming.
Likewise tomatoes. Those of you who have a greenhouse already know how to grow tomatoes in the cordon style. However you can still produce a useful crop outside with cherry tomatoes. Buy the seeds now as they are popular and sell out early. Tumbling Tom, Balconi Red or Yellow, are good varieties but any that say’ bush’ on the packet are fine.
There are only 4 or 5 seeds in the packet so open it carefully, and place them well spaced out on moist compost in about mid April, indoors on a light window sill. When big enough to handle put each one carefully into its own pot of compost, with the compost up to the first set of leaves. Keep moist, not soggy. At the end of May plant outside in a warm spot, say three to a large tub. They will soon grow to fill it. Keep moist and elevate on another pot to keep away from attentions of said dog and other unwanted livestock. Soon you will have masses of flowers. When fruit starts to form put a little Tomorite in the water each time you water, little and often is best with fertilizer. You will be amazed how many fruits you get for your trouble.
Its probably best to hold your horses yet awhile, and use this time to plan what you are going to do and buy your seeds before the best varieties sell out. You can buy seeds online but unless you want a lot probably not worth paying the p and p.
Do expensive bags of lettuce leaves annoy you like they do me? You open a bag, use enough for a sandwich and when you go back to it they have all turned to mush. For the same price a packet of ‘cut and come again’ lettuce seeds will keep you with fresh supplies all summer.
Put new compost in seed trays or garden troughs or even large plant pots, water the compost and sprinkle your seeds on THINLY. Scatter a little compost on top and press down lightly so the seeds are in contact with the soil, keep moist, and hey presto in a few weeks you will have a crop of lettuce leaves. Watch out for slugs etc. especially under the tray, and watch your dog does not anoint your salad. You can do this in March if you have a greenhouse or conservatory or in May in the garden. Repeat every few weeks to keep your supply coming.
Likewise tomatoes. Those of you who have a greenhouse already know how to grow tomatoes in the cordon style. However you can still produce a useful crop outside with cherry tomatoes. Buy the seeds now as they are popular and sell out early. Tumbling Tom, Balconi Red or Yellow, are good varieties but any that say’ bush’ on the packet are fine.
There are only 4 or 5 seeds in the packet so open it carefully, and place them well spaced out on moist compost in about mid April, indoors on a light window sill. When big enough to handle put each one carefully into its own pot of compost, with the compost up to the first set of leaves. Keep moist, not soggy. At the end of May plant outside in a warm spot, say three to a large tub. They will soon grow to fill it. Keep moist and elevate on another pot to keep away from attentions of said dog and other unwanted livestock. Soon you will have masses of flowers. When fruit starts to form put a little Tomorite in the water each time you water, little and often is best with fertilizer. You will be amazed how many fruits you get for your trouble.
As much as we want to get outside as soon as the weather warms up, do not be seduced into buying bedding plants yet, geraniums, petunias and the like. They cannot go outside until the end of May so unless you can keep them under glass they may well succumb to a late frost or get straggly if kept indoors. You can however put lily bulbs in pots ready to plant out later, keep in a sheltered spot, likewise you can plant sweet peas in deep pots.
Now is a good time to top dress your flower borders with Growmore or Blood fish and bone, ready for the new seasons growth, and don’t forget potted shrubs in permanent displays get hungry too.
Any bulbs you had for Christmas, hyacinths, narcissi etc can go in the garden and plant hedging, shrubs, roses and climbers if not frosty, the last call for bare root plants too. Divide and spread your snowdrops ‘ in the green’ after flowering to increase your stock.
See you back at the compost heap next month,
All the best
Caroline
Now is a good time to top dress your flower borders with Growmore or Blood fish and bone, ready for the new seasons growth, and don’t forget potted shrubs in permanent displays get hungry too.
Any bulbs you had for Christmas, hyacinths, narcissi etc can go in the garden and plant hedging, shrubs, roses and climbers if not frosty, the last call for bare root plants too. Divide and spread your snowdrops ‘ in the green’ after flowering to increase your stock.
See you back at the compost heap next month,
All the best
Caroline