After a few warm days, temperatures have become wintery and we can expect frosty mornings until end of March this year. With these prospects of very cold weather for March it makes sense to look to do more indoor nursery work and work with more protection.
Remember besides the physical protection we can also work increasingly with the valerian Preparation to regulate the warmth organism of our gardens.
What other means do we have to protect our plants and extend the growing season?
Creating protected environments to optimize plant growth
Create protection from excess wind, cold and heat influences with:
- Hedges, walls, fences and other artificial windbreaks
- Cloches
- Coldframes
- Greenhouses & Poly Tunnels
Create sowing nad potting mixes, made up preferably from materials from local garden, farm or biotope of:
- Compost
- Leaf mould
- Sharp sand
- Concentrated organic fertilizers
- Biodynamic Horn Manure preparation
Considerations for working in protected environments
Irrigation:
- Make sure you water in the early morning with water from water butt from the inside of the greenhouse
- Water before the sun reaches more than 30º degrees in the sky
- Best time to water is, when the dew is still on the plants
Temperature control:
- Be aware of hot sunny days to ventilate the greenhouse or coldframes well during the day and close them before the temperature drops too far.
- Aerate enclosed spaces well, when humidity is high
Air/Light:
- Avoid cold air draughts.
- Make sure that you cover coldframes or greenhouses with reed mats or paint the panes, when temperatures get too hot in May until late August
Soil Management:
- The Soil in greenhouses tends to overheat, so make sure you mulch or cover the enclosed space
- Cultivate the soil when it is moist and not too dry (danger of pulverization)
Advantages and disadvantages, of sowing in boxes and pots in protected environments
Advantages:
- Allows time for preparing seed beds
- Allows time for green manure to be digested by soil before planting
- Sets free space for other crops to be harvested longer
- Provides space and time for successions
- For tender annuals and half-hardy annuals the soil can warm up transplanting
- Less watering and maintenance required, caring for seedlings
- Warmer environment accelerates initial growth, providing bigger yields
- Less weeds during initial growth of seedlings
Disadvantages:
- Plants are more dependent on watering; shallow rooting
- Plants are more susceptible to droughts or one-sided soil conditions
- Less pest and disease resistant
- Need to harden off plants and put plants outside in the day and bring them back in at night
Benefits of Using Horn Manure Preparation in Biodynamic Nursery Work
- Soil activator in spring
- Rooting of plants
- Deeper root systems in summer
- Humus formation
- Supports the creation of topsoil
- Restoration of mycelia and diversification of soil microbiome
Best dates for Transplanting, Pricking Out and Potting Up from 15. -22. March
Pricking out Indoors
Fruiting Vegetables (Potting up) in 3 “ (7.5cm) pots:
Leafy Veggies:
20. & 21. March: Broccoli, Brussels Sprout, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Cucumber, Kohl Rabi, Leek, Celery, Celeriac (2nd pricking), Lettuce, Spinach, Onion & Swiss Chard
Root Veggies: 15-16. March: Celeriac (2nd pricking), Beetroot
Transplanting Indoors In Heated Greenhouse
Fruiting Vegetables:
Tubers: 17. & 18. March:Sweet Potato
In Unheated Greenhouse Leaf Vegetables:
20. & 21. March: Spinach, Lettuce, Rocket, Mustard Greens, Swiss Chard, Parsley
Root Vegetables: 15 & 16 March; Beetroot, Radish
Transplanting Outdoors Leafy veggies: 20. & 21. March: Kale, Spring Cabbage, Summer Cauliflower and Broccoli, Spinach, Lettuce, Rocket, Mustard Greens
Root Vegetables: 15 & 16 March; Radish, Beetroot, Horse Radish (plant sections of 1” roots)
Tubers: 17 & 18. March: 2nd early Potatoes, Jerusalem Artichokes
Harvest
Broccoli, Brussels Sprout, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Chicory, Kale, Lambs Lettuce, Leek, Lettuce, Parsnip, Swede, Swiss Chard, Rocket, Endive, Radicchio, Miners Salad (Postulaka), Spring Onion
From storage: Beetroot, Black Radish, Carrot, Potatoes, Horse Radish
Enjoy your garden ready for spring equinox on Friday 21. March
Hanns-Günther
