Mid February on the Allotment and Lots to do

Mid February and lots to do on the Allotment

It’s the middle of February. The sun is shining and the temperature is up to a heady 10 - 12°C! Of course the ground is still sodden but, with the weekend almost upon us and the weather set fair for at least, a few more days there is a lot of work we can get started on.

This morning I planted my first short ridge of new potatoes in my poly-tunnel – Accent, 1^st Earlies [from Thompson & Morgan]. This year they arrived in plenty of time for me to have had them chitting since early January. The chits are sturdy and 1 – 2cms long. In previous years, I have put in twice as many but I have found that I have been giving so many away as I need the space in the tunnel for the next planned crop and, while giving away is no bad thing it is also quite extravagant. If the weather does stay fair well into next week I may plant a row of 1^st earlies outdoors and cover them with fleece or environmesh – I tried this last year though I found that slugs ate the newly emerged tops under the fleece. This year I must be more careful.

While I was digging the ridge in the tunnel for the potatoes I unearthed three red ant nests. That is a lot of ants in a small area, ready to decimate my crops. Already they have the first batches of eggs preparing to colonise my whole tunnel. Unlike some pests, they don’t seem to actually attack the plants or the roots. However, they build their nests around the roots, removing all moisture and soil causing the plants to collapse.

I also sowed a couple of rows of carrots, alongside the potatoes. A friend says he always grows carrots in his poly-tunnel where he can ensure the soil and water are satisfactory and the plants are protected from carrot fly. He always has a successful crop. While I don’t have a tunnel as large as his, I think it is worth trying for an early crop. I’m trying Early Nantes from VegetablesSeeds.net. This is not a variety I have tried before and I will report back on how well they do – or not! The rest of my carrots will have to take their chances outdoors when the weather warms up and the ground dries out a bit.

I also started my first sowing of brassicas in small prepared beds in the polytunnel. Brussels Sprouts – Bedford; Cauliflower – All the Year Round; Cabbage – Golden Acre Primo [all from Dobies] and Cauliflower – ‘Ottobrino’ Autumn Romanesco [from The Real Seed Catalogue]. While I have found in previous years that the ground outside has not always been suitable for transplanting these early plants, I think it is worth taking the risk as it does give the plants a good start and provides an early crop when conditions are good. I can sow again outdoors in  early March and protect the seedbeds with netting to keep the pigeons off them.

Some of the seeds I sowed in pots in my poly-tunnel in early February are just beginning to show signs of emerging – winter lettuce. The hoped for sunshine of the next few days should encourage the rest to appear.

Over the next few days I will set up my propagator and start sowing some of the more tender plants. It is an exciting time of the year.