March in the Gardens
By Victoria Bowsher & Molly Hibbert
The vegetable garden is bare - bar a few belligerent weeds and an assortment of straggly overwintering crops. The Brussel sprouts have all been picked but we have left the last of the cavolo nero for hungry bugs and birds. In the polytunnels, however, it is spring. Outside, it’s still the colour of winter - grey and brown (apart from the blooming daffodils) - but inside, the soil is a healthier, richer colour, striped with row after neat row of leaves in a myriad of green. A sprightly assortment of lettuces, young chard and radishes are sent up daily to the Ox Barn kitchen. Lambs lettuce, spicy mustard cress, and claytonia (or winter purslane) are used as garnishes and in green salads. Soon, radishes will be on the menu with homemade butter and salt.
Although it would be nice to while away the colder days in the polytunnels, there is weeding and mulching to be done. Though there is a limit on what we can do, as the ground is still wet. We steer clear of the soggier beds, for fear of compressing the soil. Sometimes, it seems necessary, and you are reminded of the blunder by the thick wet sludge that sticks to your boots.
It’s almost time to plant early potatoes. We have been chitting an assortment on a table underneath the window in the gardener’s tea shed. The rocket potatoes, the first earlies, will be planted in late March. Next, comes the second earlies - Charlotte potatoes - followed by ratte, an early maincrop. Finally, come the pink fir apples, a late maincrop that will be planted in mid-late April. For now, we watch and wait for them to sprout.
Three things to do in the coming weeks:
1. Cut back any remaining perennials. We have left the verbena bonariensis on the Ox Barn terrace over winter because of its interesting seed head. Now, we will cut it back to make way for this year's growth.
2. Feed roses and shrubs. We use a sprinkle of growmore or blood, fish and bone before mulching with compost, being careful not to get any too close to the stems at the base.
3. Sow seeds: Florence fennel, radishes, Brussels sprouts, cabbages and celeriac. Sow tomatoes, aubergines and melons somewhere heated.
