Time to Get Ready – Slowly

Christmas and New Year are a distant memory.   If you’re like me you can barely remember the effort it took to smile, even laugh delightedly when another pack of socks or hankies arrived when Santa’s letter specifically asked for a pruning saw.    Put that behind you, it’s time to look forward not back.

Spring is just around the corner and, hopefully, you’re all fired up, but temper your enthusiasm.  Unless the procession of strange seasons continues the soil will still be wet, perhaps frozen (as it is as I write this) and doing anything to prepare the ground is likely to cause damage to the soil structure and make it harder to work later on.    If there are some weeds, I suggest you leave them.   Weeds can make the garden look untidy but they are protecting the soil structure and our small garden residents need hiding places if they are to be ready to do good work as the season warms up.

That does not mean there is nothing to do.    Now is the time when you can get the tools sorted out.  Check the handles, give them a clean and put sharp edges on hoes, shears, secateurs and so on; it will make for lighter work later.     Go on, spoil yourself and give the lawnmower and strimmer a service as well.    I find if I don’t do it now, it doesn’t get done.    

The other, rather more enjoyable task, for me at least, is to look through the packets of seeds and sort them into some sort of sowing order.   It helps me remember to sow them and avoid overlooking the odd one which I then ‘rediscover’ too late to use them.                                                                         

Spring officially starts in March (according to the Met Office).   Like the dates on seed packets just take it as guidance, particularly now with the seasons becoming more variable.   Seed wants to grow, it is the natural order, but in nature it waits until the conditions are favourable and we must do the same.   

Plants that need a long season like tomatoes you may need to sow indoors with some heat so they are ready by the time the weather is warm enough but for the rest my advice is to be patient, wait for the soil to warm up and sow little and often to hedge your bets and, with luck get a succession of crops.

Coming Up

All our talks are held in Milton Village Hall on the 4th Wednesday of the month and we open at 7 with the talk starting at 7:30pm.  A smorgasbord of talks is scheduled.

On February 22nd we have a Vegetable Growing Workshop and Q&A and on March 22nd it’s all about Planting in Containers.   All are welcome and if you are not a MUWAGA member we would love to see you and all we ask is the princely sum of £1.50.     Why not test the water?  I look forward to seeing you there.

Happy gardening!