BUDDING INSPIRATION
FEBRUARY MAY BE COLD, DARK AND WET, BUT IF YOU’RE FEELING THE URGE TO GROW, LOOK TO YOUR GARDEN TO BANISH ANY WINTER BLUES, SAYS CINEAD McTERNAN
Gardeners can be guilty of bemoaning February because it’s either freezing or soaking and miserable to be outside in their plots. The soil is often too sodden and waterlogged to dig, much less plant or sow anything, and the risk of frost puts paid to pruning, cutting back and a host of other practical jobs. However, I prefer to see this month through the eyes of my Irish ancestors, who celebrated the pagan holiday of Imbolc on the 1st of February.
From as early as the Neolithic period, Imbolc marked the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox in Ireland and Scotland. Originally thought to mean
‘in the belly’, it’s often translated as ‘ewe’s milk’ because it coincides with the start of the lambing season and so signifies new life. For Celtic farmers, everything hung on the success of a new season, so Imbolc was regarded as an important date on the calendar. Traditionally it was celebrated with rites and rituals surrounding the Celtic goddess Brigid, who was associated with fertility, but these days it’s more likely to be seen as a timely opportunity to reconnect with nature, though festivals to honour Brigid (now St Brigid) do still take place.
To my mind, it’s a festival that chimes with gardeners who, like pagans, closely observe the natural world and feel it’s important to reflect the rhythm of nature in their own actions. As the year begins to slowly wake up from its slumber, pagans believe it’s time to concentrate on the small tasks that can be easily overlooked during the remainder of the busy year. So, why not reframe your view of February? Rather than despair if you’re driven indoors by the weather, allow yourself time to make gentle preparations for the growing season ahead, and enjoy your very own Imbolc festival.
SOW TRUE…
If you’re one of those folk who are keen for the growing season to start, it can be frustrating having to wait for the weather to improve enough for you to sow and plant outside.
I’ve come to realise that it’s much better to be patient, content in the knowledge that eventually the soil will warm up – and, to be honest, by the time summer comes around, you’ll find getting a few weeks’ head start doesn’t actually make that much difference.
That said, if the sight of early seedlings brings you joy, there are several varieties of flower and vegetables that you can sow this month. You don’t need a greenhouse, either – a windowsill will work just as well, though it might be a little less roomy. In addition to satisfying an urge to grow, there are a few varieties that benefit from being sown early, as the plants will be more robust to withstand troublesome blackfly when they appear. Go for hardy varieties of pea, bean and sweet pea, all of which will thrive in early spring conditions when the time comes to plant them outside.
You can, of course, also grow indoor crops to harvest in a matter of weeks. Try salads, »
Imbolc is midway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox and a time to reconnect with nature
Spring cleaning nourishes the soul and sets your home up for the year ahead, so give your garden the same treatment
beetroot and radish, snipping their intensely flavoured micro-leaves into home-cooked dishes, or allow them to mature and harvest them as smaller-sized, but nonetheless delicious, crops.
MOVE ON UP
Houseplants will also benefit from some TLC at this time of year. Gather them together to assess their general health. Start by giving their leaves a gentle misting and wipe – removing any dust once in a while will help to keep them healthy, although some varieties require this on a more regular basis. It’s also worthwhile checking for signs that they may need repotting. An obvious indication that they’ve outgrown their current pot is if you can see roots protruding from the bottom, but they might also be root bound (where the roots are growing in a circle around the inside of the pot). If you can, carefully ease the plant out of its pot and take a look.
It’s tempting to move them into a much larger pot, but it’s better to go up a size at a time – the plant may feel under stress if there’s too much soil compared to the size of the roots.
Some houseplants will be too big to repot. If that’s the case, gently remove an inch or two of soil from the top layer and replace with new compost. This is also a good solution if, like me, you find yourself with a gnat infestation. The tiny flies lay their larvae on the soil if it’s too moist, so chances are you’re overwatering and need to wait longer between each drink.
POTS OF FUN
It’s a truth universally acknowledged that spring cleaning nourishes the soul and sets your home up for the year ahead, and there’s no reason why you can’t give your garden the same treatment. Grab your cleaning kit and blow the cobwebs away from your shed, greenhouse or the cupboard where you keep the odd pot, pair of gloves and packet of seeds. Don’t forget to spruce up pots and tools, too. Use a stiff brush to remove remnants of last year’s soil from the inside and outside of pots, and wash them in a bucket of warm, soapy water. Do the same with tools, but dry them thoroughly to prevent them
from rusting, and then gently rub down with a medium grit sandpaper. Add an extra layer of protection and keep them in top condition by rubbing with a little linseed oil.
CRAFTY IDEAS
Reduce, reuse and recycle is a gardener’s mantra, so there’s no better way to get ready for the growing season than by making your own biodegradable pots for seeds or small plugs. Old newspaper works a treat, whether you’re using a shop-bought kit (try Paper Pot Maker, £12.99, burgonandball.com) or rustling them up by using a glass jar: to do this, wrap a sheet of folded newspaper around a lidless jar, leaving an inch overhanging at the top, and a couple of inches at the bottom so you can remove the jar. Roll the jar to wrap the newspaper around it and then crumple the paper into the jar at the top. Remove the jar, flatten the ‘bottom’ of the paper pot and you’re ready to go! Plant labels are another useful garden accessory to make and an opportunity to let your imagination run free: use wood offcuts, transform wooden spoons or clothes pegs, or stick corks onto the end of a lollipop stick. Alternatively, extend the life of plastic bottles by cutting them up into any shape that takes your fancy.