In Your Garden in March

Mar 4

Posted by Suttons in In Your Garden Now

Well, at times February didn’t turn out much better than January weather-wise, but March has started with a hint of Spring (here in Devon, at least). Sowing flower seed should be at its height now, plus it is also the start of the main sowing season for vegetables outdoors. Early flowering bulbs will require some attention this month. As long as weather conditions allow preparation for lawns can begin. Gardens could very well need a general tidy up at this time and keep a look out for any weeds that are beginning to appear.

Time to order your Seed PotatoesVegetables

Although we have experienced some very cold weather conditions over the past weeks, early sowings can be made by warming the soil prior to sowing using cloches or envirofleece which will help to ensure good seed germination results. As soon as soil conditions are suitable sowings of artichoke, beetroot, broad bean, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, carrot, lettuce, parsley and spinach. Sowings of aubergine and cucumber, along with other tender vegetables, can now be made in a heated greenhouse.

Shallot sets can be planted this month, spacing at 15cm (6”) intervals in rows 30cm (12”) apart, and once conditions have warmed up, generally towards the end of March, onion sets may also be planted.

To ensure a regular supply of parsley later in the year sow the seed in pots. To encourage strong growth of chives it is best to divide the clumps.

Early varieties of tomatoes will develop well on plants when grown under glass in a heated greenhouse. For quick germination it is best to sow the seed in a heated propagator or you could use a window-sill.It is best to sow outdoor varieties later in the month and the plants are potted on as they grow, ready for planting out in early June.

Seed potatoes should be set out in trays which are placed in a bright but cool, frost-free situation so that the shoots will form. Plantings of early varieties can be made during March, however, main crop varieties are best planted in April.

During March and April celery seed can be sown into pots then placed in the greenhouse so you will have plants ready for planting out during May and June.

RaspberriesFruit

As the pruning of established trees and bushes should have been carried out by now, it is a fairly quite time for fruit, but you can still make late plantings of soft fruit such as gooseberry, raspberry and strawberry.

To encourage long, tender stalks of rhubarb it is ideal to cover the crowns with old buckets which will exclude any light.

Plant your bulbs nowBulbs and Roses

This is the time that early flowering bulbs should be dead-headed leaving the foliage to die back naturally. Begonia tubers should be planted, the concave side being uppermost in the pot, in moist compost which only just covers the top. They should be kept in a bright, warm situation and watered when the compost dries out. Once the shoots are 5cm-7.5cm (2”-3”) long they should be potted up individually. Dahlia tubers can also be planted in trays of compost which will encourage shoots to appear. Lilies could be planted into available spaces you may have in borders, or they can be put into pots.

Overcrowded clumps of perennials can be lifted and divided, or new ones can be planted. If you have light soils this job may, of course, have been done but with heavy clay soils it might be worth waiting until conditions are warmer and drier in the spring.

After flowering but whilst still in leaf it is a good idea to lift and divide snowdrops. The clumps should carefully be teased apart and then the bulbs replanted at same depth as they were before.

It is an ideal time for roses to be pruned, and also remember that any damaged, dead or diseased stems should be removed. Stems should be cut back to an outward facing bud by about a half on bush varieties.

Start to sow Sweet PeasFlowers

Seed sowing is at its height now as most of the summer bedding plants can be sown. Half-hardy annuals such as ageratum, impatiens (busy lizzie), cosmea, gazania, petunia, lobelia and marigold can be sown in the heated greenhouse or indoors. Provided soil conditions are not too cold and wet, early sowings of hardy annuals can be made outdoors. Suitable plants for sowing where they will flower include the following popular items – anchusa, calendula, clarkia, larkspur and nigella.

Remember not to let the trays of seedlings become affected by damping off and to aid this it is suggested watering with Cheshunt Compound.

Sweet Peas can be planted in sunny borders remembering to tie stems onto supports which will encourage quicker climbing and flowering.

Fuchsias, whether bush or trailing, in their pots that may have been kept over the winter will more than likely have lost their leaves, and these should be cleared away just in case pests such as whitefly are present. If conditions have been severe the main stems may have died back and it will be difficult to see whether they have survived, however, this should become apparent by keeping the compost slightly moist along with conditions beginning warm up, then any dead stems should be pruned back. When they begin to grow strongly, watering can be increased along with weekly feeds being started, and, they could also be potted up.

Give your lawn a makeoverLawns

Towards the end of the month, provided the ground is not too wet, is an ideal time to start preparing areas for sowing in April. Perennial weeds should be controlled by digging out the roots or using a weedkiller containing Glyphosate. The site should be dug to a depth of 23cm (9”) which should be followed by raking to obtain a level surface. On established lawns the first cut of the season can be made, not too short, just removing the leaf tips. Where moss is a problem on the lawn Moss Killers can be applied at this time. Our Rapid Green Lawn Seed is the modern answer for creating hard wearing, ornamental or lawns in shaded areas, and reviving worn areas! Replace lawn edges that may have worn away or crumbled by using a sharp half-moon edging tool.

Feed trees and shrubsGeneral

Flower beds can be prepared so that they are ready for sowing hardy annuals during late March through into April. A general fertiliser should be sprinkled around trees and shrubs, and along hedges, then give a generous mulch of well-rotted compost. Around the base of roses, fruit trees and shrubs a mulch of garden compost can be spread.

Houseplants and ferns can be potted on into slightly larger pots. Flowers on fruit trees should be protected on frosty nights but during the day it is ideal for the covers to be removed so insects can get to the blooms.

Winter digging may not have been completed by gardeners who have heavy soil due to the amount of rain which fell during autumn and beginning of winter, therefore, as conditions begin to slowly improve any opportunity available may have to be taken so that any outstanding preparations can be finished.

Clean paths, paving, patios and steps with a pressure washer or chemical cleaner. Also cloches and frames can be washed, inside and out, with soapy water removing any build-up of dirt. By doing this now will let full light pass through glass or plastic.

If not already done, make sure garden tools and mowers are checked over ready for the coming season.

If peanuts are put out, remember, it is best to put them in mesh feeders to avoid young birds choking on any large pieces. It might be a good idea for any bird boxes that may have been put away in sheds for safekeeping during the winter to be checked over for any damage prior to fixing on a suitable tree or wall. However, before doing so make sure cats will not be able to get near them by climbing any fences or branches that may be close by.

Pond netsPonds 

Should algae appear which turns pond water green it is best to see if the oxygenating plants in the pond begin to do their job by starving the algae of food. As milder spells arrive fish can be given some food. Now is the time to remove pond heaters so that they can be cleaned and put away until next winter. Plant debris should be cleared away from around the pond and use a net to scoop out leaves that may have fallen into the water.

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Fatalii Paella recipe

Mar 3

Posted by Suttons in Homegrown Food, Peppers, Recipes

The next ingredient from our Pepper and Chilli Around The World Collection to get its own recipe is Chilli Fatalii, is a brilliant sweet Italian variety. This spicy Paella recipe is a favourite of Fiona’s who receommends it highly!

Ingredients:
50ml/2fl oz olive oil
150g/5oz chorizo, cut into small chunks
1 onion, finely chopped
1 Worldbeater pepper (from your collection), roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 Fatalii chillies (from your collection), finely chopped
½ tsp smoked hot paprika
½ tsp smoked sweet paprika
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
500g/1lb 2oz paella rice, such as Calasparra
175ml/6fl oz dry white wine
1.5 litres/2½ pints hot fish stock
1 tsp saffron threads
4 large tomatoes, seeds removed, chopped
12 raw king prawns, shells on
300g/11oz raw tiger prawns, peeled and cleaned
150g/5oz baby squid, cleaned, trimmed and cut in half
400g/14oz mussels, cleaned and debearded (discard any that don’t close when gently tapped)
300g/11oz clams (discard any that don’t close when gently tapped)
110g/4oz frozen peas, defrosted
1 lemon, juice only
salt and freshly ground black pepper
handful flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Method:
1. Heat the olive oil in a large paella pan or frying pan until hot and add the chorizo. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the chorizo starts to release its oils.
2. Add the onion and pepper and cook for 1-2 minutes until just beginning to soften. Add the garlic, chilli flakes, hot and sweet paprika and thyme and fry for one minute.
3. Add the paella rice and fry for two minutes until coated in oil.
4. Add the white wine and simmer until reduced by half.
5. Add the fish stock, saffron and tomatoes and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid nearly absorbed.
6. Add all the seafood and cook for 3-4 minutes until cooked through.
7. Add the peas and lemon juice and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
8. To serve, stir in the flatleaf parsley and drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil.

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Red Demon Chicken recipe

Feb 26

Posted by Suttons in Peppers, Recipes

Chilli Red Demon

We’ve launched a new Pepper and Chilli Around The World Collection so thought we’d celebrate by adding some recipes for the varieties included. We’re starting with a recipe for Red Demon Chicken which uses Red Demon Chilli which is part of the collection.

Red Demon Chicken
Ingredients

For the jerk chicken
2 tbsp mild jerk seasoning
1 tbsp soy sauce
2-3 tbsp tomato ketchup (or barbecue sauce)
1 tbsp runny honey
2 boneless chicken breasts, skin on
2 tbsn vegetable oil

For the plantain
30g/1½ oz butter
1-2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large ripe plantain, skin removed, cut on the diagonal into slices 2cm/¾ in thick

For the salsa
2 red demon chillies,(from your collection) finely chopped
½ small ripe pineapple, peeled and finely chopped
½ lime, juice only
2.5cm/1in piece fresh ginger, grated (optional)
1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint

For the rice and peas
25g/1oz butter
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
100ml/3½ fl oz light coconut milk
100g/3½ oz basmati rice
½ x 410g/14oz can kidney beans (do not drain)
1 sprig fresh thyme
½ tsp salt
310ml/11 fl oz boiling water
1 green bird’s-eye chilli (or ½ Scotch bonnet pepper)

Step -by-step

1. For the rice and peas, heat the butter in a saucepan and gently fry the spring onions and garlic. Don’t allow them to brown.

2. Add the coconut milk and bring to the boil.

3. Stir in the rice, the kidney beans (along with the liquid in the tin), the thyme, salt and boiling water. Add the chilli, then stir, cover with a lid and bring back to the boil.

4. Once it’s come to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until all the liquids absorbed and the rice is tender. Fluff lightly with a fork to separate the grains, cover and leave to stand.

5. For the jerk chicken, preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Place the jerk seasoning, soy sauce, tomato ketchup (or barbecue sauce) and honey into a bowl and mix to a paste.

6. Use a sharp knife to make four or five deep cuts at an angle across the skin-side of the chicken breasts.

7. Brush half the jerk paste over the chicken with a pastry brush.

8. Brush a baking sheet with half the vegetable oil. Place the chicken breasts onto the baking sheet and drizzle with the remaining oil. Transfer to the oven and roast for 25 minutes. Brush with the remaining jerk paste during cooking.

9. For the last five minutes of cooking, place the baking tray at the top of the oven, where the temperature’s hottest, to brown the chicken. Check the chicken’s cooked through – there should be no pink when you cut into it

10. For the plantain, heat the butter and oil in a pan over a medium heat, add the plantain and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden-brown. Remove from the pan and drain on kitchen paper.

11. For the salsa, place the onion, chilli, pineapple, lime juice, sugar and ginger, if using, into a pan and heat gently for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat, cool, and then stir in the coriander and mint.

12. To serve, place the chicken onto serving plates with some rice and peas, a few slices of plantain and a spoonful of salsa.

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Guarantee a better carrot crop

Feb 19

Posted by Suttons in Seeds, Special offers, Vegetable growing

Primed carrotsIt can be difficult to grow good carrots in heavy clay soil or in soils that are compacted or stony. Our simple-to-use growing pouches will ensure you a bumper crop from your patio – you can start harvesting in as little as 10 weeks! The secret? Our specially prepared “primed” carrot seeds have undergone a pre-germination process used by the best commercial growers ensuring that they start growing more quickly, guaranteeing you a better crop.

The kit contains 3 Growing Pouches and 1 pack of Primed Carrot seed (Norwich variety). Give it a try and let us know how you get on!

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Out of the frying pan………

Feb 19

Posted by Bea in Homegrown Food

Chilli Pepper Bhut Jolokia Fiery Furnace

I suppose most sensible people would realise that by the very  name of this pepper  it was indeed going to be hot. Coupled with the fact that we had been writing about it on its introduction to the company – that yes, this was the hottest chilli you were ever most likely to eat, and bearing in mind the warnings to wash your hands after touching, do not by any means rub your eyes whilst handling – well any chilli really, and you’ve got enough information to avoid getting more steam up than the Flying Scotsman! But, or should I say Bhut, there are just some lessons in life that you have to learn the hard way…….

It was a cold night, Jack Frost had nipped around the garden having a gnaw at the citrus trees that I’d forgotten to cover up, the moon shone, next doors cat was having it’s neck wrung for doing something it shouldn’t (or it could have been one of the girls singing – I’m not quite sure!) So I thought I would cook up a nice hot dinner – Chilli Con Carne!

Nothing from a tin, jar or anything that had been lurking in the far corner of the bottom drawer of the fridge, for more than a fortnight, was going into this delicious concoction – this was the night for Chilli Bhut Jolokia and  I had two! Tonight was going to be a Michelin style delight of culinary deliciousness…….. …….It wasn’t.

 My initial thought was to put the two chillies in the dish. I had explained this to my colleague Toby earlier but noticed how suddenly his jaw dropped and as he fell back in his seat, he spluttered words that sounded suspiciously connected to blowing socks off and ‘are you mad woman?!’ I couldn’t quite make out at this point if he was in serious need of medical attention or doubled up in the throes of unhinged laughter. I alerted our first aider just to be on the safe side anyway and left them to it.

 Now, I like to cook. There is something very satisfying about chopping garlic, onions, tomatoes (ok these did come from a tin) etc, and I was very careful to chop up my marigolds, sorry – wear my marigolds to chop up my chilli, wash the chopping board and the knife, before it touched any other item, living or dead. Then I added the chilli to my sauce…… I suppose when I saw the pan take a sharp intake of breath I should have thought something could be amiss, the tomatoes shrank and they began to absorb water at a rate of knots! The seasoning went in (plus an extra twist of the black pepper as I’m quite partial to biting the ones that get stuck in your teeth) then it was ready. The rice was dished out, the sauce placed on top and I sat down with my husband to enjoy our evening meal.

 It didn’t quite turn out as I’d planned………..

 My husband’s a fella who likes his food and has never been a dainty eater (he won’t mind me saying this) so of course he took a couple of large mouthfuls of his dinner. It was quite fascinating to watch really, I mean I had never seen this sort of occurrence before…. He started going red from the back of his head, up over the top and down to his lips and neck, beads of sweat were glistening, he sort of reminded me of a Christmas bauble, then he sprung up out of his chair, grabbed a glass of water and stood there with his tongue in the water, looking like he was about to explode! It was about two hours later before I could understand what he was saying; he’d had trouble with his ‘wips being on fwire’ he said.

We never ate anything that evening; I had to throw the whole lot away! What a waste!

 So good people take my advice and only use a tiny tiny bit of this chilli, it is a fiery furnace – it says what it does on the tin as the saying goes! It may be advisable to just put the de -seeded pepper into the dish for a short while then take it out.

You have been warned!

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Even more information on Potatoes

Feb 10

Posted by Suttons in Potatoes, Vegetable growing

In my last post I thought that I told you everything you ever wanted to know about potatoes but trusy Fiona, our veg buyer has come up with even more useful information.
Did you know that there is more vitamin C in a portion of new potatoes than in an apple? And there’s more fibre in a jacket potato than in a bowl of bran flakes.
So, potatoes are healthy to eat. But even better are the health benefits that  growing potatoes brings. From digging the ground, adding manure, planting, ridging up and finally…the most satisfying bit, digging the freshest, tastiest potatoes that are the fruits of your labour! Within minutes these can be cooked and served to the whole family with a knob of butter and fresh mint. Fast food couldn’t be easier! And, you know exactly were your food has come from.
How to grow potatoes
The MOST important thing to do is buy the best quality seed potatoes that you can find, at Suttons we have a fantastic assortment of varieties that will suit any sized garden. When they arrive in the post, unpack them immediately and lay them in a garden tray, or even better an old egg box so that each potato has support. Then leave in a cool dark place. Shoots will start to appear on the potatoes within days. This means that you will have chitted your potatoes.
When all the risks of frost have passed, you can plant your chitted potato seed. The soil needs to be well dug with added manure or potato fertiliser. Then you simply have to dig a hole approximately twice the depth of the tuber. Pop the potato in, and cover over, it couldn’t be easier! As soon as you see shoots appearing through the soil, you are going to have to earth your potatoes up. This is quite simple, using a garden hoe you need to pull all the soil around the new shoot up to cover the shoot. Sounds crazy, but this will improve ventilation and drainage and also combat weeds at the same time! Carry on doing this every week until the leaves get too tall to be able to continue.
Now you have to wait…why not plant a few mint plants so that they are ready to pick with your first harvest of potatoes? A little watering will also encourage your potatoes to provide bigger harvests!
The exciting bit… depending on the type of potato you have chosen to grow you could have waited 10 or 20 weeks for this! So get your fork out…time to go digging! Ensuring you dig widely enough around your potatoes to ensure none get damaged, and deep enough to make sure you get every last potato for your supper!

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Seed sowing in Scotland & Northern England

Feb 8

Posted by Suttons in In the Veg Patch, Vegetable growing

We had a question on the forum about vegetable growing in Scotland where it can get a little colder than here in Devon – so we’ve put together a list of varieties that should thrive in these conditions.

Beetroot Boltardy and Beetroot Globe 2

Broccoli Autumn Spear and Purple Sprouting Broccoli

Brussels Sprout Bedford Winter Harvest and Brussels Sprout Wellington

Cabbage April, Cabbage Greyhound, Cabbage January King and Cabbage Wheelers Imperial.

Carrot Chantenay Red Cored, Carrot Eskimo and Carrot Early Nantes

Cauliflower All The Year Round and Cauliflower Galleon

Curled Cress

Cucumber Long Green Ridge and Cucumber  Telegraph

Leek Musselburgh, Leek Autumn Giant 3 Albana

Dwarf Green Curled Kale

Lettuce All The Year Round, Little Gem Lettuce, Lettuce Unrivalled, Lettuce Webbs Wonderful and Cos Lettuce Lobjoits Green

Onion Ailsa Craig and Spring Onion White Lisbon

Marrow (Courgette)  Green Bush and Marrow Tiger Cross

Melon Sweetheart

Parsley Favorit

Parsnip Tender & True

Radish French Breakfast and Radish Scarlet Globe

Perpetual Spinach

Swede Brora, Swede Ruby and Swede Invitation

Sweetcorn Sundance

Tomato Ailsa Craig and Tomato Moneymaker

Pea Kelvedon Wonder and Pea Onward

Turnip Golden Ball, Turnip Purple Top Milan and Turnip Snowball

Beans: French Bean The Prince, Runner Bean Scarlet Emperor and Broad Bean Giant Exhibition Longpod

Of course some of these varieties are also available as plug plants but growing from seed is much more rewarding! Let us know how you get on.

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Everything you ever wanted to know about potatoes…

Feb 5

Posted by Suttons in Potatoes, Vegetable growing

One of our fastest-selling vegetables last year was the potato, as people realised how easy they are to grow and how delicious freshly harvested potatoes are to eat!

Types of potato
You may have heard of the term floury or waxy potato but did you know that this was determined by the amount of water contained within them?
Floury Potatoes are drier and are good for dishes where you want fluffy potatoes or mash – but beware these are the types that can go to mush if cooked too long.  Varieties to look for Estima, Maris Piper, Rooster and King Edward.
Waxy Potatoes are wetter and feel harder than the floury types.  They are firm and hold their shape so are good for eating with salads. Varieties to look out for Charlotte and Maris Peer.

What is the difference between:
First earlies – As the name suggests this is the one to plant for ‘new’ potatoes.  Planted in January to March they take only around 10 weeks to come to maturity and should be ready to harvest June to July. 
Second earlies – Will mature a little later than ‘firsts’, usually ready July to August.  Harvest straight away for small ‘new’potatoes or leave in the soil longer and get bigger Maincrop type spuds.
Maincrop – take the longest to mature (around 15 weeks) and are ready in September to October.  As they are left in the ground longer they produce much bigger potatoes.
2nd cropping or ‘Christmas’ potatoes: These are cool-stored first or second early varieties that are planted in mid summer to produce ‘new’ potatoes in late autumn or near to Christmas.  They are ideal for growing in potato buckets which can be easily moved if there is an early frost.  Look out for Maris Peer, Carlingford or Orla.

What is chitting?
Chitting is just leaving your potatoes to grow little shoots.  Chitting is not essential but it gives them a quicker start once they are planted out.   Put them end up in a light, frost-free place and wait for the sprouts to appear. Many people find egg boxes ideal containers in which to do this. The place where you chit them needs to be light as other wise you will get long weak shoots (so don’t use those forgotten potatoes from the veg rack!)

When to plant potatoes
While First earlies can be planted out as early as January, you should always be aware of the likelihood of frost in your area. Traditionally potatoes are not planted out until you can be sure that the first frosts are over.

How to grow potatoes
In the soil – Potatoes are traditionally grown in beds which are dug over and prepared with manure in the autumn.  Over the winter the frost breaks up the soil, then when the weather get better you plant your seed potatoes.  However if you don’t get round to preparing your bed in the Autumn, all is not lost just dig a trench (or if you have a very light or sandy soil don’t even dig a trench) add some organic matter, cover this over and put the seed potatoes on top.
With both methods it’s important to ‘earth up’ (cover over) the rows so the tubers on the top are not exposed.  Do this until the emerging plants are too big to do so, this helps control the weeds and also gives the plant more room to grow.
In buckets – Ideal for the patio, put a 3 or 4 potatoes in a large container, or specialist potato bucket or barrel and as the shoots appear cover then up with more compost.

When to harvest them
The longer you leave the potatoes in the soil then the bigger they become.  Earlies are harvested quickly so tend to be small, usually just after the plant has begun to flower while maincrops are left longer to become bigger, normally after the flowers have died back. If you are unsure about how big your tubers are then it’s okay to have a gentle rummage about under the soil.

How to store them
Store in a very cool, dark frost free place.  Potatoes exposed to the light turn green and are  bitter and poisonous, protect from the frost as frosted potatoes turn to mush while too warm conditions will cause the potato to sprout.

Thanks to the Potato book and the Potato Council’s  Lovepotatoes website.

Potato Book

Potato Book

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A touch of frost

Feb 5

Posted by bodonnell in Bulbs, In Your Garden Now, Perennials

I haven’t braved the back garden for a few weeks – the ground is either too boggy or frozen, and working during the week means that, in winter, the only chance you get is at the weekend. Last weekend I decided to venture out to survey the damage done by the snow, frost and rain.

I’ve lost a few perennials that have survived previous winters – my Echium pininana (pictured) which was about four feet high at its prime – now looks a sorry site and my Echinops that I was so proud of, looks like it’s had its day. But there is some good news in the corner – some bulbs are showing their heads. I didn’t plant them last Autumn so they mush have been there a bit longer but I can’t for the life of me remember what variety they are!

echium

A sad looking Echium

bulbs

Bulbs - crocus perhaps?

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In Your Garden In February

Feb 1

Posted by Sue in In Your Garden Now

In Your Garden This Month

Wow! What a month January turned out to – we certainly had some very cold and frosty weather along with quite a bit of snow which hopefully has, by now, disappeared from your area. Lets hope that only a few of the bulbs and plants being over-wintered in greenhouses were lost during the severe weather we all seemed to experience.

Hopefully the weather will start improving in February as this can prove a busy time of the year for gardeners. All of a sudden there are a thousand and one things that can be done now, such as early sowings of flower and vegetable varieties being started so as to give them a head start. It can also be a good time to start preparations for sowing new lawns, as well as getting the machinery serviced and ready for the coming season if you haven’t done so already.

General

In areas where the weather is milder, perennial plants that had been in clumps could be divided and the outer, young, healthy parts replanted into freshly prepared soil. It may even be an ideal time to dig up and reposition any shrubs or perennials that have become overcrowded. With a number of plants now dying down for the winter, and before new shoots appear although they will grow through, a fairly thick mulch, 5-7.5cm (2-3”), could be spread around perennial plants, trees, shrubs and even fruit, but be careful not to cover any dwarf bulbs that may be in flower.

It may prove very beneficial for a large, clear sheet of polythene, held in place by either bricks or lengths of wood, to be placed over the soil keeping off any heavy rain, ensuring the soil remains dry. As time permits, the sheeting could be folded back, the soil dug over and the sheet replaced – this is particularly helpful when soils are heavy clay. If you are short of time, another solution may be to cover the soil with compost or manure, and then as spring approaches lightly fork in to the surface which will prepare the soil for planting.  Where early sowings are going to be made, it is a good idea to warm the soil up by a few degrees, therefore, approximately two weeks prior to sowing cover the soil by using a single layer of polythene or fleece. By doing this it will quickly encourage germination and establishment.

Do keep a look out for pests such as whitefly, and any plants or cuttings that are seen to be infested should be sprayed.

A good way to provide extra winter protection for plants is to use a cold frame which should be situated in full light thereby receiving warmth from the sun but sheltered from cold winds. Ventilation should be provided on warm days so it is a good idea for them to be opened up which will prevent a build up of warmth, however, remember to close them at night. To provide extra warmth an old rug, blanket or even overcoat could be used on nights when conditions are very cold.

Ground that hasn’t been dug over yet could be covered with a layer of compost or manure ready for lightly forking in to the surface during spring so as to prepare the soil for planting.

Pots and seed trays which have been left should be thoroughly cleaned, using a little household disinfectant and rinsing with clear, warm water, so that they can be put away for use in the spring. A brush might come in handy to remove any stubborn dirt and old compost that might be harbouring pests or diseases in the pots and seed trays.

It is still a good idea to keep gutters on greenhouses clear of leaves and debris, and to allow maximum light in keep the glass washed.

Shrubs

To avoid tree and shrub branches from breaking, use a broom to knock off any snow laying on them, should you still be having this type of weather in your part of the country. Tree ties should be checked making sure they aren’t cutting into the bark. Any worn or damaged ties should be replaced. Should you have experienced any storms or high winds check to see that any tree stakes and ties haven’t been damaged. Fleece or fine mesh netting is an ideal way of protecting vulnerable plants from severe frost. Our organic fruit and potato fertiliser may be sprinkled around fruit trees and bushes

Vegetables

Early varieties of potatoes should be chitted (laid out in trays and allowed to form short sprouts) in a cool, light, frost-free place ready for planting towards the end of March – this is proven to increase the yield of the tubers. In the greenhouse or under cover in a warm propagator, you can now begin to sow seeds of cabbage (summer/autumn maturing), celery, parsley, sweet and cayenne pepper, tomato, leek and onion. Outdoors (under cloches or in a cold frame) you can sow early varieties of carrot, such as Amsterdam Forcing, broad bean, such as The Sutton, and parsnip. Shallots can also be planted out from the middle of the month. Remember asparagus crowns can be ordered now even though delivery may not be until late March/early April but it is a good time to start preparing the site where they are to grow, ensuring the ground has been dug thoroughly making sure it is free from weeds.

Fruit

Continue to plant soft fruit as the weather permits. Any uncompleted pruning of established fruit trees and bushes should be carried out straight away before growth commences, otherwise this year’s crop may be reduced. It is a good time to prune sideshoots back to two or three buds on trained gooseberries. Rhubarb crowns should be covered with buckets which will help to encourage early pickings, also lift and separate any congested clumps.

Outdoor grape vines should be pruned so that last year’s fruited shoots will be shortened therefore encouraging new growth.

Remove any branches getting in the way and prune large apple and pear trees. Also, check any fruit you have stored and remove those that show signs of rot or deterioration.

Flowers

Sowings can be made in a propagator, in a heated greenhouse or on a windowsill at a temperature of approximately 21ºC (70ºF) of many summer bedding plants, such as geranium, petunia, impatiens (busy lizzie) and nicotiana along with some perennials. Take care not to sow too thickly or over-water as this can lead to the seedlings damping off (small patches of them suddenly dying for no apparent reason). Many people find that its best to pour the seed into the palm of their hand first, rather than sowing it directly from the packet.  If seed is very fine, it can be mixed with silver sand to make it easier to sow thinly and evenly across the surface of the compost.

During this month cuttings may be taken from chrysanthemums that have been over-wintered.

Remember to regularly deadhead pansies, primulas along with other winter/spring bedding plants as, depending on the temperature, you may find they flower at varying times. Also by removing faded flowers this will help to prevent seeds setting which in turn reduces flower performance.

As amaryllis are now in full bloom, or will be very soon, the plants should be watered once or twice a week. This should be done by standing the pot in a saucer of water, allowing the plant to take as much as required, and so that the roots do not remain in the water after approximately half an hour remove the pot from the saucer and throw any water that is left away. Amaryllis are best kept on a windowsill as they prefer warm and light conditions. A liquid feed could also be given once a week as this will contain necessary nutrients.

Any shrubs or flowers that may have become too large for where they are at present can be moved to a new position during February.

Prune back hardy summer-flowering clematis as rapid new growth will be produced during spring which will carry new flowers later in the year.

Early flowering bulbs such as alliums and dutch iris that were planted last autumn should be coming into their own during this month. Anemone tubers should be soaked overnight so that they can absorb water which encourages them to expand. They can then be planted in pots for an early display. Alternatively plant outside in March or early April.

A minimum temperature of 4ºC (40ºF) should be maintained for tender plants such as fuchsias. Plants should be checked over at least once a week removing any dead leaves or flowers which will cut down the risk of fungal disease. Shoots that may have started to rot should be trimmed back to healthy growth. Keep compost almost dry making sure there is good air circulation for the plants – a fan heater may help in doing this!

Clumps of perennials can be divided with the healthy young outer portions being replanted into freshly prepared soil – this should only be carried out in milder areas of the country.

Towards the end of the month start begonia tubers into growth, in trays of compost at a temperature of 15ºC (60ºF). Previously grown tubers with any dead foliage still remaining should be cleaned off and then the tubers repotted in fresh compost. Water them in and a temperature of about 16ºC (60ºF) should be kept. It’s also a good time to plant new tubers of begonias and gloxinias.

Carry on planting up lilies in pots, ideally five bulbs of the same variety to a 25cm (10”) pot, and terracotta pots are more sturdy for when the tall flower spikes develop. If you haven’t already, it’s not too late to order – we have a great range of varieties on offer (see our bulb section for more information).

Lawns

As milder weather conditions arrive, weeds will start to grow on areas of ground already prepared in preparation for sowing a new lawn – they should be brought under control before sowing begins in April. On existing lawns, brush off any unsightly wormcasts with a stiff broom, besom or rake. If you haven’t already done so, now is a good time to get your lawnmower serviced.

Birds

Also if you have a floating pond heater continue using it to prevent ice from forming over the entire surface of your pond.

Providing a supply of food for birds, such as a special wild bird food mix, would be appreciated, at this time of year especially if the weather stays cold and unsettled. Remember though to place out of reach of cats.

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