Page 10 - ALG 1 2018 html5 version

Regular
Seasonal jobs to do...
March, April, May
10
GENERAL
Don’t be tempted to dig in partially thawed soil;
it will chill the soil for months. Apply a general fertiliser, such as pelleted poultry pellets, over all of the plot. Complete any outstanding winter digging and knock down the large lumps of soil into
smaller lumps using the back of a fork. Use a pronged cultivar to create ne soil crumbs before nally raking the soil down to create a ne tilth ready for seed sowing towards the end of the month. To clear ground ready for 2018 growing, lift the remainder of the leek crop and replant in the shade to use by the end of next month. It is possible to do the same with any overwintering cabbages that may be in the way. Water the plants in afterwards; they can also be covered with damp sacks to prevent shrivelling. Hoe at every opportunity to destroy early weed seedlings.
OUTSIDE
Sow early beetroot, summer and autumn cabbage. Also celery, lettuce, parsnips (if the soil is warm), peas and radishes. Sow herb seeds.
Plant – Early potatoes (if the soil is warm
GENERAL
Listen carefully to the weather forecasts this month. Warm sunny days
followed by clear starry skies
will certainly mean frosts. Don’t
be in too much of a hurry to
work on frozen ground; it can
take half a day to thaw out
and is always sticky during this
period. Jiggle the jobs around
the weather/soil conditions.
Use boards to protect the soil
if you have to walk on it. Take
advantage of the opportunity
to put up the runner bean and
sweet pea supports. Enjoy the warmth of the sun by writing plant labels and setting them out around the plot ready for seed sowing or transplants. Clear plot of spent crops.
OUTSIDE
Continue with soil preparation but try to avoid digging the soil over any more. Turning in the dry surface layer and exposing the moist soil to drying conditions reduces the available water stored in the soil. Use a pronged cultivator to break down larger
MARCH
enough), onion sets. Transplant earlier raised broad beans, peas, lettuce.
Fruit – Spray to control scab. Feed all soft fruit. Complete any delayed winter pruning early in the month.
GREENHOUSE
Sow Brussels sprouts,
cabbage, celery, celeriac,
leeks, parsley, and tomatoes for growing outdoors. Sow herbs. Plant tomatoes, peppers and aubergines towards the end of the month. Protect
from frost. Cover rhubarb to force early shoots.
HARVEST
From the plot: kale, leeks, hardy winter lettuce, parsnips, spring cabbage, spring onions, sprouting broccoli, sprouts, swede, hardy winter cauli ower and winter spinach.
From store: beetroot, carrots, Jerusalem artichokes, potatoes, turnips, onions.
APRIL
lumps of soil into crumbs before raking over the crumbs to develop a ne tilth for seed sowing. Keep shuf ing a hoe through the soil to create a surface dust mulch that traps moisture underneath it. Thin out rows of the seedlings sown last month. Water along the rows afterwards to settle back into soil.
Sow – beetroot, cabbage, carrots, cauli owers, parsnips, spinach – prickly-seeded. To get the seedlings off to a ne start, water along the drills with liquid seaweed before sowing the seeds.
Plant – Transplant earlier raised beetroot, broad beans, Brussels sprouts, leeks, lettuce, potatoes and summer cabbage. Water well after planting. Asparagus plants if making a new bed.
Fruit – Spray gooseberries to control saw y and mildew. Net strawberry plants against birds.
GREENHOUSE
Sow sweetcorn, courgettes, cucumber, melons, pumpkins, squashes. Start to side shoot earlier planted tomatoes.
HARVEST
From the plot: asparagus – rst cutting 23rd of month, broad beans, chards, chives, early carrots (thinnings), lettuce, radish, spring cabbage, spring cauli ower, spring onions, sprouting broccoli (end of season).
From store: beetroot, carrots, leeks (cleared last month), onions.