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Plotholders Progress    April - May 2015 

The Allotted Month APRIL – MAY 2015

Spring is now truly underway and there have been some glorious hot sunny days.

I finally planted my potatoes on 9th April a little bit later than planned but the delay had given the ground a chance to dry out and made digging much easier.

My potato crop was pretty poor last year which I have put down to lack of watering on my part. This year  I am planning to give the potatoes a good soak at least once a week after they have flowered.

Potatoes also need regular feeding to guarantee a good crop and if you have comfrey growing on or near your plot then this makes an excellent source of high nitrogen liquid feed.

Seeds to sow -

 Beetroot, peas,  broad beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbages, cauliflower, kale, chard, kohl rabi , leeks, spinach, beat spinach, carrots, rocket, lettuce and radish.

Carrots – make sure and cover your carrots with a fleece and ensure the edges are buried as this will stop carrot root fly from gaining entry to lay their eggs .The eggs hatch in larvae that burrow into the carrot root killing the plant or t least ruining the crop.

Planting outdoors – Globe and Jerusalem Artichokes are well worth a try.  Globe artichokes in particular are very stately plants when mature and are sometimes grown for their silvery green foliage alone. They are often referred to as architectural plants and are definitely not suitable in a small garden due to the space they take up. The edible part is actually the base of the undeveloped flower head which must be picked before the flower starts to appear. Artichokes have a very subtle distinctive flavour and are delicious cooked in pasta. Jerusalem artichokes belong to a different family   and it is the tubers underground which are eaten .The foliage above ground is very tall and it is sometimes grown as a wind break . 

Plants to grow under glass- Aubergine, outdoor cucumbers, tomatoes

Under cloches – French beans , lettuce , sweetcorn

Strawberries – these can be grown out of doors now. They should be spaced 45cm apart . New plants can be easily grown from the long runners  which when pegged down will strt to develop new roots and can eventually be cut free from the parent plant. Strawberries usually need replaced every two-three years as they produce less fruit as they get older.

Successive planting of peas, beans , lettuce and radish  is a good idea  as this ensures a regular supply of crops throughout the year at different stages of maturity.

 

J  Greenfingers

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