Spring into life for a tasty crop
Plan ahead and grow veg that can be picked from summer through to autumn, says LOUISE MIDGLEY
WITH the arrival of March, it’s good to know spring is just around the corner. Increased daylight hours dictate it is time to get started growing vegetables both inside and out, but be guided by the weather as March has a reputation for being bitterly cold at night and unpredictable during the day.
Crops that can be planted straight into well-prepared soil outside include broad beans, parsnips, spinach, radish, Brussels sprouts, Swiss chard, bolt-resistant beetroot, leeks and onion sets, to name just a few.
Use cloches or fleece pegged down securely to protect the new growth from the worst of the weather for the first few weeks.this extra protection also prevents greedy pigeons pulling young seedlings out before their root system is strong enough to hold them firmly in the soil.
For those who garden in a limited space, bear in mind that most vegetables grow perfectly well in containers. It’s just a case of matching the right container to the right vegetable.
For example, a tall, deep container filled with free-draining soil would be ideal for carrots which need a decent depth to extend into.they are also less likely to be attacked by carrot root fly.
Grow potatoes in potato grow sacks or similar-shaped containers.
When they are ready to be harvested, the contents can be emptied on to a plastic sheet or lawn – so much easier than digging them out.
You can steal a march on some veg by growing them in avegepod.these potable raised beds (a set of wheels is optional) have a permeable mesh lid that protects plants from cold weather in spring and autumn.
They also have a reservoir of water at the base, so watering is only required in the early stages of growth or until the roots grow long enough to reach the reservoir.
Tender crops such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and aubergines will need to be started off somewhere warm in a frost-free environment.
● Vegepod.co.uk