March second half 2023
Spring can be joyful, frustrating, beautiful, dour! Much as we love the good bits, we have to accept that there will always be setbacks and it’s good to be prepared. Don’t sow too early and use covers to protect your plantings, unless your climate is particularly warm. There are many details in my new online update.
From mid March you can make outdoor sowings direct in the soil.
Such as carrots, parsnips, onion, spring onion, spinach, radish, turnip, coriander, dill and parsley.
Any cover of fleece will speed germination.
You can find these tips in my No Dig book, which we sell on offer with the 2023 Calendar. Also in a popular three book offer with the cookbook.
If you live in the highlands of Scotland, use Mairi’s sowing times. They are listed on the Sowing Timeline page, together with the southern hemisphere download of times.
Under cover from mid-March
- new sowings include celery and celeriac – leave exposed to light, with a glass tray over or in a clear plastic bag for about 10 days.
- Tomatoes if not yet sown, and tomatillos.
- Then late in March, melons and dwarf French marigold.
Plant out in the second half of March, at 3 to 4 week old stage from date of sowing:
- radish, turnips, onion, spring onion, spinach, lettuce, cabbage, calabrese, cauliflower, kohlrabi, fennel, pea, broad, bean, and the herbs you may have sown.
This is the sowing guide video.
The NYT link is here.
Charles – I’m receiving asparagus crowns this week and, although I’ve happily harvested asparagus for years at home, I’ve never had to actually plant out crowns. The reading I have done suggests extensive digging in of horticultural sand, grit and manure/compost to provide good drainage, also that the crowns should be 4-6 inches below ground.
Is that advice in your judgement correct or is your experience that less extensive disturbance of the ground still gives highly productive perennials?
That’s exciting Rhys. I have a feeling you must know what I’m going to say and please don’t dig in any sand or grit! No goodness therefore your soil or soil life. My method is to scrape off the top 4 inches or so, making enough depth to put in the crowns, and it may be quite a big circle. Then just the compost and soil is replaced on top.
Thanks Charles – I thought you might say that, but thought I would make sure!
I’ll follow your advice.
Hi Charles
I’ve planted out seed potatoes using your method of just opening the soil with a trowel and dropping the potatoes in. However, what do you consider the best approach to harvesting without disturbing the soil? I’m concerned that just lifting the plant without digging may result in missed tubers
Cheers
Richard
That sounds good Richard. For harvest, the potatoes actually go less deep because soil has not been loosened. The roots go down, but not the potatoes we want to eat. Nonetheless, have a little look with a trowel to be sure.
Hello Charles, When I was a boy back in the 1950’s we had a German neighbour who was a professional gardener and on his allotment opposite our house he used a bed system similar to yours. I remember how neat and tidy it looked compared with the other plots and every evening in the summer he would be out there. I wondered if the bed system was more common in other parts of Europe in years past?
Just [ossibly Andrew but I can’t be sure.
“Raised beds’ were “new” generally in the 1980s
Hi Charles. I have enthusiastically embraced your suggestion of overwintering tomato cuttings. I took cuttings in October of Pannovy F1. They have survived on my window sill. I have now potted them on once more. But I am not sure how to proceed? Do you bring on and ultimately plant your over wintered cuttings? Are they vigorous enough and do they behave just like their parent plant? That is last all season, make good sized plants with plenty of trusses etc? Or do you take cuttings from the overwintered cuttings?! To make brand new plants for the coming seasons crop?! Any advice greatly appreciated! I am delighted they have lasted the winter so well. Just don’t want to fall at the last overwintering hurdle! Thank you so much for the inspiration. Tess
Hi Tess
That’s nice! Any of those approaches can work. It may be advantageous to tool a new side shoot now in order to have smaller transplants. Or if you have space for the large, overwintered plants, you can plant in the ground exactly as they are and treat them as a semi mature transplant. I remove all trusses until May because it’s too early for them to make worthwhile fruit at this point.
Hi Charles
That is so helpful, thank you! I think I shall try both and as you say both ways are possible, I shall try both and see which works best for this year. It’s such a great idea. I shall stop and flowers until May though as you advise. Thank you for your generosity with your time and knowledge. It’s very much appreciated.
Good luck!! 🌱
I’ve been really inspired by your website and want to set up some no dig beds! I’m considering getting some dumpy bags of the Revive soil conditioner from the council (I’m just down the road in Lamyatt!) to use as the main organic bulk on my beds initially. Have you used this product and is it suitable for planting straight into? I’d be interested to know what you think as I’ve heard differing opinions!
That’s nice.
It’s not a uniform product and more than anything, os often not ready for immediate use. Depends how fresh it is when delivered. You want it older and more mature.
At the moment they are carrying quite large stocks, I would phone Wallee Watson 07989 580872 and ask for batch 662, or if that one is finished, any older compost, which is less now less hot.
When he delivers, it’s probably not 100% ready, and you will get much better growth if you add some mushroom compost on top. It’s more expensive and from Woodland Horticulture in Street. Their green waste compost however is not so good as what Wallee delivers! info@woodlandhp.co.uk
Wow, what a reply! Thank you so much, I shall indeed give Wallee a call! The beds I want to set up are for my winter crop (I’m determined that I WILL have purple sprouting broccoli this winter 😂) so the sooner I set it up and leave it to cool and mature the better! Thanks again 🥦
Go you Roisin!
I have a number of CD60 and find them really good for seed germination. When you bought out the smaller versions I must admit I was sceptical, as I thought what holds more holds less and you have versatility to sew many or few.
I was given some small ones as a present. And I have to admit I was wrong they are so useful for filling in space on my heat mat. I’ve been able to grew a few of different salad seeds. I have found them so useful and it’s stopped me growing far too many seeds and have space to tend properly a fewer seedlings. Thank you I think all 3 sizes are useful and great products.
Nice to hear Rachel!!
I found your NYT article online a few days ago and wanted to share how much I loved it. I have your Journal and I use a new one every year. It is the best one out there! It keeps me on track and motivates me to keep planting all year long. I am really trying to maximize my total harvest this year. I am weighing everything I harvest and I am interested in seeing the results. I am weeks ahead of all my neighbors using your techniques and seed sowing the next crop in advance of the harvest of the current crop. Also interplanting existing crops with the next crop has been a game changer. Thanks from the Jersey shore, NJ USA.
Thanks for your feedback David. It makes me happy to hear how successful you are, from the resources I generate here, and how far ahead you are. May your season be productive!