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- March
- The Vegetable Garden
The Vegetable Garden
Draw up plans of the plot showing sowings and plantings together with dates. Try to avoid digging in wet weather, but if gardening on wet soil, work from a plank of wood, to avoid treading on the bed and compacting the soil. Try to avoid bringing cold soil to the surface when preparing seedbeds, it is best to use a three pronged cultivator (a favourite tool of mine!) to stir the surface rather than turn it over exposing the cold soil underneath. It also has the advantage of bringing soil pests to the surface for hungry birds to devour. Cloches, polythene or fleece can be used to warm and dry the soil. When the weeds begin to grow this is a good indicator that the soil is warm enough to start sowing many seeds directly into the ground. Never trust old seed as germination can be very erratic.
If soil conditions permit, sow parsnips, onions, leeks, peas, cauliflowers, summer cabbages, broad beans and carrots. Plant onion sets and shallots on well dug and manured ground. French beans may be sown in frames or in previously prepared open ground and covered with cloches or fleece. Complete the preparation of runner bean trenches as soon as possible and practical. This is a great month to empty the compost bin. Do remember to save the top 4 inches to go back into the bin. This layer will contain all the valuable bacteria, fungal and microscopic animal life that are essential to good composting.
Towards the end of the month make the first plantings of early potatoes such as Duke of York, Pentland Javelin, Arran Pilot, and Foremost. Plant15cms (6 inches) deep 30-34cms (12‑15) inches apart in rows 45cms (18 inches) apart and cover with cloches or fleece. Later in the month make further plantings of early potatoes.
In the greenhouse sow marrows and courgettes in pots to plant out later in the season. In heated greenhouses, (minimum night temperature of 10-12°C (50‑55°F) sow tomatoes and prick out before the first true leaf stage into individual pots. Watch out for whitefly, greenfly and red spider and control at first signs using Deadfast Smoke Generator.
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