Keep
an eye out for slugs on early sowings in cloches.
Transplant Autumn sown
onions to their final place.
Continue to plant Shallots.
Plant Garlic bulbs.
Sow round seeded peas
in a sheltered border.
If using a 3 plot rotation
system, check soil pH and add lime, if needed, to the Brassica plot.
If the soil is not
too wet sow Parsnip seeds.
In milder areas, Sow
Broad beans under cloches for an early crop.
Lift and pot up a few
strawberry plants, place in the greenhouse or in a coldframe to get early
crops.
Feed Asparagus plants
with a general fertiliser at the rate of 2oz per Sq. Yd.
Divide and replant
Chive Plants.
Sow early cabbage.
Sow Lettuce and Radish
(under cloches if necessary).
Sow Broads beans.
Lift any remaining
Parsnips still in the ground from last year.
In sheltered areas
plant Shallots.
Check spring cabbage
and firm the soil around any that have been loosened by movement. Dress
with a quick acting Nitrogenous fertiliser such as Nitrate of Soda to
help increase growth as the days start to lengthen.
Clean established Asparagus
beds ready for spring growth. Rake the top inch of soil off the bed and
top dress with well rotted manure or compost and then replace the soil.
This must be done before growth starts or the new tips will be damaged.
Divide herbs such as
Sage and Thyme and cut back any excess growth to encourage new fresh growth.
Plant out Jerusalem
Artichokes.
Put Early Potato tuber
to chit.
Pre-warm the soil by
covering with cloches or black polythene.
Plant out shallots.
In sheltered areas,
Peas, Onions, Carrots, radish and early lettuce can be sown. In less sheltered
areas they can be planted under cloches.
Now is the time to
prepare new Asparagus beds. As this is a permanent crop the ground must
be well prepared. This means removing all weeds and digging the bed to
a spades depth. Incorporate plenty of manure or compost in the bottom
and a dressing of Bonemeal. Three year old crowns are usually advised
but you can use 1 year old crowns if you are prepared to wait a bit longer
before cropping.
Lift and divide Rhubarb
if it is getting congested.
Ensure that Autumn
sown Onions are kept free of weeds.
