Long range Weather
So far you might have felt that this was a difficult winter and with all the rain.
With spring just around the corner (Equinox on the 17/18. March this year) the outlook is changing somewhat. The good thing to focus on is the daylight increases from the 12.-25. March by 3:58 minutes. This creates the dynamic background for waking up all the dormant seeds in the soil and helps your seeds to germinate faster. As you will see the variable weather will help this dynamic awakening as seeds germinate and plants grow between wetting and drying, warming and cooling and the wind massaging the soil.
With a low-pressure system lodged south of Iceland we will see intermittent frontal systems moving through the British Isles with equinoxial, gusty winds.
The good news is that there should also be some drier interludes under transient ridges of high pressure, with longer dry periods most likely in the south and east, though even here some wet weather is possible at times. Temperatures will be near average for the period as a whole, but with some shorter-duration colder interludes at times when frost and hill snow will be possible.
Indoor Spaces
If you are further North or in higher altitudes watch the potential night frosts.
Another good reason to get a head start in covered, indoor spaces.
Our present polytunnel shows temperatures of 5.5 degrees minimum and 35 degrees maximum.
This is a very wide range and any overwintering crops will be forced by this and the rapid drying of the soil to go to flower.
Mustards have already formed stalks and the kale is on the way. The Swiss chard and spinach are looking still good.
Ventilating early in the morning, before it gets too hot, and shutting the indoor spaces tightly helps to keep it warm at night.
Therefore, I highly recommend you sow as many seedlings as possible indoors except for the root crops, which need to be sown directly into the ground.
Soil Cultivation
As the soils are still fairly wet you need to find ways to cultivate and aerate the soil as much as possible.
Beware of any work with rototillers, as it is still too wet on heavy soils and rototilling would destroy the structure. Even when forking and digging the soil, my footsteps compacted the soil in the top inch or so. Mind you the heating and cooling and the wetting and drying will mellow the soil. Also, I added a handful of wood ash on 1m2 and used a very well-rotted and humified biodynamic compost to condition the beds, just dug and prepared the seed drills with this compost to be able to sow in a conducive environment, which is well drained and yet holds plenty of moisture for your germinating seeds and seedlings to survive.
The worst-case scenario would be if after the very wet conditions we would a drought again like last year.
So, conditioning your soil with the best compost, green manuring and repeated soil cultivation with the hoe or three pronged cultivator to keep weed seed germination down, get rid of the last perennial roots and to break up clods is of the essence this spring so you can expect better yields and quality with your vegetables.
Tranplanting, Pricking out and Sowing
Below you see some indications of what you could still sow, prick, plant and harvest this month to make the best of this time of the year.
I encourage you to sow a lot of variety of annual flowers to mix into your vegetable beds as companions, for the wildlife and for your soul’s delight ( More about that next week).
Transplanting and Pricking out (12-14. March 1pm):
HEATED GREENHOUSE: prick out tomatoes, sweet peppers, aubergine, courgette, cucumber, basil
OUTSIDE: firstearly potatoes,onion sets, spring garlic, lettuce, globe artichoke, horse radish, cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi, land cress
Sowing (14. March after 1 pm – 23. March):
HEATED GREENHOUSE:
FRUIT (12-14.MARCH): Courgette, cucumber, aubergine, sweet pepper, tomato, basil, maize
FLOWERS (17 & 18.MARCH BEFORE 11 AM): Nicotiana, nasturtium, French marigold, cosmos, Matthiola-nigth scented stock, poppy, zinnia, sunflower, etc.
LEAVES (19 & 20. MARCH): Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, kale, kohlrabi, land cress, celery, celeriac, leek, onions, mustards, fennel, parsley, rocket, coriander (for outdoor transplanting)
UNHEATED GREENHOUSE, UNDER FLEECE OR COLDFRAME:
LEAVES (19 & 20. MARCH): Beetroot, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, celery, Celeriac, leeks, lettuce, mustards, fennel, parsley, rocket, coriander, spinach, Swiss chard (for outdoor transplanting)
OUTSIDE:
FLOWERS (17 & 18.MARCH BEFORE 11 AM): Calendula, corn flower, Nigela in the mist, forget-me-not,
LEAVES (19 & 20. MARCH): Chives, thyme, onions, cabbage, early carrots, cauliflower, kale, endive parsnips, peas, spinach, summer cauliflower, asparagus, summer corn salad,
ROOTS (15 & 16. March): early beetroot, turnips, radishes, carrots, parsnip, scorzonera, salsify
Planting:
Second succession first early potatoes,
Harvesting:
GREENHOUSE: Kale, Swiss chard, lambs lettuce, lettuce, spinach, rocket, radishes, miner’s salad, parsley, Chinese mustard, mizuna
OUTSIDE: Turnip tops, kale, perennial kale, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, parsley
As you can see there is a wide range of vegetables, flowers and herbs you can get started with now, while making sure that when you have the time do support all sowings and plantings with a horn manure preparation (soil activator, 500) application, if possible on three consecutive days (only stir once and keep in container with inert material [ceramic, glass, stainless steel, copper)
I trust this approach would give you a great start for the year.
Happy gardening
Hans-Günther
