MARKHOLE

  NEWS AND VIEWS

                                                                                                                                                                                       March 2011

 

 

Dates for the Diary

AGM May 15^th at 10.30

Open Day July 30^th at 1030

 

With all the snow and rain we have had this winter the soil has been completely saturated which means it will be some time before established plants need watering. It also means that virtually all soluble nutrients will have been leached out, so if your crops are to thrive these nutrients must be replaced. First choice is manure and as we have horse manure on site this is an obvious choice, but it would be wise to dig in also compost, as horse manure is not a balanced fertiliser. Brassicas and potatoes will benefit from generous quantities dug in and later when well grown mulches of manure. Mulches should only be applied on wet ground so thorough watering on the previous day may be needed. Brassicas also benefit from liming, but this should be done in the previous Autumn as if applied at the same time as manure they will react together releasing the precious nitrogen in ammonia gas. This liming, as well as providing the correct ph, reduces the chances  of club root affecting the crop. As lime encourages scab on potatoes, it is sensible for potatoes to precede brassicas in your crop rotation.

If you grow Autumn fruiting raspberries last years growth should have already been cut down to ground level. If this has not been done do it now before the new shoots show at ground level. Pruning of black currants should also have been completed by now, however, with the late season  it could still be done now. About one third of the older branches from the centre of the bush should be removed down to ground level.

With the prolonged cold weather sowing will be late as there is no point sowing until soil temperatures reach about 5ºC over several days. The area for sowing should be hoed weed free just before sowing. Sowing before soil temperature is right just increases the risk of losses by mice or even rotting. This latter is particularly true of parsnip seed.

Given the lateness of the season it will be particularly helpful to raise brassicas and salad plants in the warm in pots for hardening off and planting out later. This is of course not practical with root crops like parsnips or carrots.

                                                                      Editor Peter Foote