February and March 2019
January in the greenhouse is time for a good clean. Too many are used as sheds; poor use for a valuable asset! Why not grow salad leaves in troughs? ‘Cut-and-come-again’ lettuce will germinate in a cold greenhouse all the year round and give healthy salad crops you know are good for you! I have successfully grown Mizuna outside as well as Mituna; which is just as hardy. Or try Spinach in troughs and for a spicy alternative try Giant Red Mustard. Radishes are another alternative. If you let any go to seed the seed pods can be eaten too!
I don’t start heating my green house until Valentines’ Day. Then it is all systems go - Dahlias are put on the hotbed to start them growing, ready for cuttings to be taken later. Any spare room you can fill with tomatoes; chilli peppers; sweet peppers or aubergines. Start them in 4”/10cm pots in a fine compost; when they germinate and have two true leaves, I pot them into 3”/9cm pots. Make sure you consider quantity; 2 growbags with 3 plants in, is a good number for most.
I did germinate my show onions in a propagator in the house. I don’t believe in unnecessary expense, so as the house is warm, the onions grow in the dining room near a south facing window. They are now in cell trays and come February 14th, will be moved into the greenhouse to benefit from the extra light. They will also be potted into 3”/9cm pots before being hardened off in April and then planted direct into the ground. I also sow some annuals into cell trays ready to plant out in April on the plot, to offer pollinators some early sustenance.
January in the greenhouse is time for a good clean. Too many are used as sheds; poor use for a valuable asset! Why not grow salad leaves in troughs? ‘Cut-and-come-again’ lettuce will germinate in a cold greenhouse all the year round and give healthy salad crops you know are good for you! I have successfully grown Mizuna outside as well as Mituna; which is just as hardy. Or try Spinach in troughs and for a spicy alternative try Giant Red Mustard. Radishes are another alternative. If you let any go to seed the seed pods can be eaten too!
I don’t start heating my green house until Valentines’ Day. Then it is all systems go - Dahlias are put on the hotbed to start them growing, ready for cuttings to be taken later. Any spare room you can fill with tomatoes; chilli peppers; sweet peppers or aubergines. Start them in 4”/10cm pots in a fine compost; when they germinate and have two true leaves, I pot them into 3”/9cm pots. Make sure you consider quantity; 2 growbags with 3 plants in, is a good number for most.
I did germinate my show onions in a propagator in the house. I don’t believe in unnecessary expense, so as the house is warm, the onions grow in the dining room near a south facing window. They are now in cell trays and come February 14th, will be moved into the greenhouse to benefit from the extra light. They will also be potted into 3”/9cm pots before being hardened off in April and then planted direct into the ground. I also sow some annuals into cell trays ready to plant out in April on the plot, to offer pollinators some early sustenance.
Most fruit trees can be pruned from now to March; only apples and pears in the top. Damsons, plums and cherries should be pruned when they are in growth – so May until August. This is in order to reduce the chance of silver leaf. Soft fruit pruning needs to be done for blackcurrants – take out the old wood. The best flowers and fruit occur on last year’s wood; so don’t cut that out. Redcurrants fruit on old wood so leave alone unless the bushes are getting out of control. Not many people grow white currants which is a shame because they are sweeter then the other two. Gooseberries have a habit of growing branches that drag on the ground, I always cut these out as it is bad enough picking through the spiny horrors without grovelling on hands and knees to pick soil splashed fruit.
Don’t forget our Spring Show, it’s on Sunday 7th April this year. Remember, you don’t have to be a member to enter – see our website for details of this year’s exciting monthly meeting topics and visits planned as well as an application form.
www.bishamptongardeningclub.org.uk or email [email protected]
Cheers,
Pete Chamberlain, Chairman, Bishampton & District Gardening Club.
Don’t forget our Spring Show, it’s on Sunday 7th April this year. Remember, you don’t have to be a member to enter – see our website for details of this year’s exciting monthly meeting topics and visits planned as well as an application form.
www.bishamptongardeningclub.org.uk or email [email protected]
Cheers,
Pete Chamberlain, Chairman, Bishampton & District Gardening Club.