The constant gardener

It might still be wet and cold but warmer days are beckoning. Give your garden a tidy-up and start planning what to plant for spring

- MARY LOVELL-SMITH Garden editor

Chores

The long nights leave plenty of time for keen gardeners to pore over catalogues, read a fascinating gardening book (like the excellent Miss Willmott’s Ghosts by Sandra Lawrence about a forgotten genius), polish your gardening know-how via YouTube and be inspired by the great gardens of the world via the many films and documentaries available. However, the adage that summer gardens are made in winter is a timely reminder to pay attention to the soil.

SOIL TOIL

Get mulching with rotted manure, compost, woodchips, straw and seaweed. Anything that will suppress weeds, protect plants from cold and breakdown adding to the soil’s organic matter is good.

Get those composts composting. They may need turning and or a helping hand with blood and bone, a layer of soil, or a compost accelerator.

Get fertiliser tea brewing for spring application. To a large container, such as a 40-gallon drum, add (and continue to add as it comes to hand) seaweed, comfrey, stinging nettle, horse manure and water and let it brew. Syphon off as needed and dilute before feeding to plants.

Get rock dust onto the soil to up its mineral and trace element content. This is important for edible crops.

COMING, READY OR NOT

Potatoes will need chitting and seeds germinating, to ready them for planting out when the soil and air temperatures warm up. Patches where root crops such as carrots and parsnips are to grow will need a good digging over. Breaking up any clods will make it easier for them to grow long and strong.

SOUR NOTE