Seasonal Jobs
No matter the season, there is always something to be done on an allotment.
"To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow."
- Audrey Hepburn
JANUARY
January always feels like one of the hardest months. We’re in the depths of winter, spring still a distant dream, and very little to be doing in the garden. We won’t, however, let that stop us…there are still plenty of things we can do to keep the gardening itch scratched until spring…
📝 Plan, plan and plan some more.
There’s a whole year of gardening to look forward to so when the weather is too miserable to be outside, I’ll be getting out the pen and paper, old gardening books and magazines and deciding what to plant in the year ahead along with jobs I want to achieve on the plot.
👩🌾 Groundwork and Maintenance
Top up beds with manure, paths with bark chippings…all those jobs that will make gardening come spring, that much better. Don't forget to turn your compost heap too!
Now is a good time to clean garden tools and potting trays as well as your greenhouse if you haven't already. if you can, try and sharpen and oil your tools too so that they stay in tip top condition!
🥔 Chit potatoes
Later this month I shall start chipping my potatoes. Place them in egg cartons in a cold sunny spot until they grow to around 2cm.
🌱Sowing
Now is a perfect time to sow your onion seeds undercover. From experience, they make for stronger and larger onions that the sets you plant. I’ll also be sowing sweet peas undercover as well as broad beans.
🌳 Fruit trees
Now is the time to plant your new fruit trees if you plan to!
Harvest
If you clever enough to sow and care for these over winter, now if the time to harvest sprouts, leeks, parsnips and broccoli.
FEBRUARY
One month down and we’re inching ever closer to spring. Although February can be one of the coldest and most miserable months, for me, it’s a month that starts to show signs of new growth and a last ‘calm before the storm’ before I get busier with sowings. There’s usually not as much to do but with having a new plot, it’s all about getting ahead.
👩🌾 Groundwork
Continue to finish getting beds ready for planting by topping with cardboard, manure and a layer of compost. I’ll also be weeding any existing beds and setting my greenhouses up for the busy months ahead.
🌱Sowing
Think about sowing early cauliflowers undercover as well parsnips. You may also have need to be starting to pinch out the sweet peas sowed in January.
🌳Fruit trees
This is the last chance to prune any fruit trees.
If you haven’t already cut back autumn fruiting raspberry canes, do it this month.
MARCH
🌱Get ready, set…SOW!
Now is the time to start sowing in full swing…a few things to be sowing now are: Beetroot, Broad beans, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Leeks, Peas, Parsnips, Radish & Spring Onion
I’ll also be sowing these in the greenhouse: Aubergines, Cucumber, Tomatoes, Peppers, Salad leaves
🪴 You can plant out your Asparagus crowns this month as well as some soft fruit bushes and hardier herbs.
🌱Remember to protect vulnerable seedlings against birds with netting, mesh and cloches.
🌷Enjoy the spring bulbs starting to appear whilst I continue to feed my little robin friend that always appears at the allotment.
❄️It’s also worth remembering that March is Fools Spring! I always have to remind myself that it’s still bloody cold and not to get too far ahead of myself.
