Seeds in, veg out - blooming marvellous
22 Dec 2011
No matter what my good intentions of starting my planning earlier, it is normally not until January that it feels close enough for me to really start to prepare for another season. Whilst it is always great to look at what I am going to grow for my tubs and baskets, it is always the vegetable plot where I feel the most excitement, as each year I am presented with an almost blank canvas from which to start again. There are restrictions of course in what my family will eat (which does narrow it down a lot) and the size and position of the plot, but still, as I stand in front of the seed stands at this time of the year, the possibilities seem endless.The cheapest way to produce plants for your garden is from a few packets of seed and January and February are great months to get started. Before you do so however, remember that tiny seedlings are vulnerable to attack from damping off disease and raising them in a clean environment gives them the best possible start. Scrub clean all seed trays and empty pots with hot water containing Jeyes fluid before you start to plant any seeds or cuttings.
Next you should fill the clean trays with some fresh Westland multipurpose compost + added John Innes. Lightly press down the surface and water well before sowing the seeds evenly over the surface. Then follow the instructions on the seed packet to find out if the seeds need to be covered with more compost and if so how much. Cover with clear plastic or glass so that a humid atmosphere is maintained. Now place the tray on a windowsill that will provide the minimum temperatures recommended on the seed packet. If you have a heated propagator this will help to maintain the temperature required.
During the first couple of months of the year you need to sow seeds of plants that take some time to grow to flowering size and those that are susceptible to frosts. In January geraniums, begonia and verbena can be sown.
During January, to help you with your seed buying there will be some great offers in your local store, so it will work out an even more economical way to stock your plot.
With all the excitement however, don’t be tempted to sow vegetable seeds outdoors in January, not even parsnips. The soil is likely to be too cold to encourage germination and even if you have cloches to keep out the winter’s worst, you are better off waiting until the end of February. If you want to give yourself the earliest possible start, however you can cover the soil with black polythene in preparation for early sowings next month.
Instead, in January it is better to spend the time digging the area to improve soil structure. Add organic matter, such as farm manure, to all areas other than those that areto grow root crops, as you dig. The best way to do this is to spread the manure over the area first before you start digging and then ensure that as you dig the organic matter is all covered. If you do not have organic matter to use we have farmyard manure 60L in your local store.Also in January, the seed potatoes and onion sets will start to arrive in the branches. The timing of this always slightly dependent on the weather, as they will not send these down from Scotland if there is a chance of them getting frosted on route, but look to expect them from the middle of the month.
Elsewhere, keep off the grass while it is frosty, as the pressure of feet can damage the grass and turn each leaf brown. Trimming the grass is rarely needed in January unless we have a very mild winter so try to hold off if possible.