It’s tempting, isn’t it? The rain has stopped, the sun is out and there are signs of life beneath the soil.
So should we start the spring preparations? Hard frost overnight seems to suggest otherwise and the soil is still cold and claggy. I’ve been looking at my notes from last year and remind myself that I started the chillis and peppers around this time and they germinated well but then sat and sulked because of the low light levels. It’s tempting though, to start a few seeds. Perhaps leeks and cabbages will be happy enough. They’ll keep pace with the broad beans which have done well. Unlike last year, they have broken through without becoming leggy and seem primed for rapid growth once the spring really arrives.
I guess the hope is that we don’t get a spring like we have had in recent years: warm but very dry and then followed by cold, wet weeks. That seemed to draw the plants and wear them out.
Time to be patient. The canes and the berries are pruned and are showing signs of bud break. Seed potatoes are set out in the light and cool conservatory to develop chits. Light really is important here as you want the dark green sprouts which will grow strongly into shoots rather than the pale sprouts familiar from spuds left at the bottom of the dark vegetable box.
The old shed has been removed. No small task really, although the wood was rotten, layers of tar paper and pounds of galvanised clouts made it a challenge to break apart. Its replacement, transferred from the back garden, will be ready for installation, once I’ve finished a little carpentry to reduce the size. It will keep me occupied until the real gardening can start.
growingandreflecting 