The warmth and growth of spring
Look around at those fruit bushes on your plot and you’ll see tender, green shoots of new life starting to emerge as tiny buds unfurl. Hedgerows are also starting to lose that bare look and mists of green haziness are appearing there.
The signs are there that warmer, longer days are coming and the sap is rising, carrying food from roots to feed the leaves above. These, in turn, will repay the favour as chlorophyll, carbon dioxide and sunlight provide the nourishment needed to help plants flourish and bring forth bountiful harvests.
Lay the open palm of your hand on the bare soil. W What do you feel? You should no longer get that cold shuddershu up your arm – a clear indication the soil is warmingwa up! To accelerate this, coverc areas to be used for ear early sowings with cloches – this extra warmth will spur those early sown crops into action.a