I have lost count of the many gardeners I have put off sowing seed outside recently. Because the weather seemed to be getting spring like some of us were itching to get on with preparing the seed trays and sowing this years crops. It's a good idea in theory but in practice it's a bit of a gamble and to prove my point we are plunged back into winter again, as, even as I write this, the sleet is falling past my study window. No, as I said in the previous edition, wait a couple of weeks and April will be here in all its glory. As a horticulturalist I can't remember March as being anything other than a dodgy month for we gardeners, though, admittedly, there are a few chores we can perform as my Topical Tips list will show below. PLANT OF THE WEEK:
Cornus Mas which is a flowering Dogwood better known as the Cornelian Cherry is grown for it's mass of yellow flowers on bare branches in February and March followed by bright green leaves in summer. This magnificent shrub will grow in most soils and will tolerate both dry and damp conditions. Pruning can be carried out after flowering to keep the shrub from getting too large. TOPICAL TIPS: 1:听Sow Sweet Peas either in the open ground in a sheltered place or in pots, and place in a greenhouse to give them extra protection. Once germinated the pot grown ones can be planted outside or into containers to grow on. Those grown in the open ground will take a little longer to germinate but will be tougher plants. Make sure the plants are given a good liquid feed once they start to make real growth. 2:听If the ground is not too wet then rake over a small area and plant
Onion Sets. Push them well into the ground to ensure protection from frosts and apply a slow release granular fertilizer to aid growth once the leaves appear above the surface. Make sure the site you choose can be given up for the rest of the growing season as Onions will need to be left in the ground for most of the summer. 3: If you have an unheated greenhouse then sow radish and winter
lettuce into grow bags. The germination should only take a matter of days and within six to eight weeks you should be sitting down to your own early salads. Don't forget The Chelsea Flower Show from Tuesday 24 to Saturday 28 May in the grounds of The Royal Hospital, Chelsea, London, SW3. All tickets must be booked in advance. Ticket hotline: 0870 906 3780.
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