Hopefully, memories of heavy rain, hail and strong winds will soon fade into the past. There is plenty to do in the veg patch this month, planting seed potatoes and generally getting ready for the busy spring planting season that lies ahead….
What to Harvest
This is the time to harvest the last of your winter growing crops if you still have some growing.
- Purple Sprouting Broccoli
- Celeriac
- Parsnips
- Winter Lettuces & Leaves
- Leeks
- Turnips
- Spring Onions
- Cabbages & Greens
Kale, spinach and chard can be left in the ground – you can pick the leaves off as and when you want them.
Jobs to do
There is loads to do this month, and early preparations will help get your growing season off to a strong start:
- Prepare veg beds – make sure any major weeds are pulled up and cover the beds with a good, thick layer of fresh compost or well-rotted manure. This will put nutrients back in the soil. Cover the beds with black polythene if you can so that the soil warms up well before you plant.
- Clean down greenhouses and polytunnels. They are likely to be coated in algae, mud and dust. Get them nice and clean to let the sun warm them up nicely now.
- Get pots and containers cleaned down too. This way you won’t be rushing around like a headless chicken when your plants arrive.
- Build wigwams and supports for beans and other climbing veg.
- Build cloche tunnels for brassicas and carrots to help keep pests at bay.
- Plan where to plant everything.
- Make sure you have plenty of fresh compost, and worm cast, ready for when you plant in late April/May.
What to plant
Whilst we would recommend waiting until late April/Early May to plant most of your summer veg (until frosts are well in the past!), there are a few things you can plant this month when it warms up a little:
- Seed potatoes (we are now shipping and have several varieties available) – Try not to plant into very wet soil though – better to hold off for a couple of weeks if the soil is waterlogged, or plant into large containers of compost instead this year.
- You can also divide and replant some herbs: Chives, mint, thyme, marjoram, oregano.
- You can plant up strawberries and rhubarb quite happily this month, just be sure not to plant strawberries into very waterlogged soil.
- Some of the hardier veg plants will be fine for planting in late April: Brassicas, Salads & Leaves, Leeks & Onions, Roots