Thursday morning's snow didn't take long to thaw and by Thursday afternoon most of it has disappeared. However, the downside was that the rapid thaw left the ground very wet and soggy.
To compound the issue we've had more rain since then. February has started off as one of the wettest ones I've recorded at this stage of the month. In the last nine years only 2016 recorded more rainfall.
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| Temperature & Rainfall Details 04-10 March 2018 |
Friday turned out to be a much better day. Morning sunshine meant it was pleasant in the greenhouse which had quickly warmed up after an overnight frost. It tempted me into sowing some broad beans. The first seeds to be sown this year.
Broad beans are fairly tough but I'll leave them in the greenhouse to germinate. In the greenhouse I expect germination will take a couple of weeks. They could be sown outside directly into the ground at the allotment but even if that were my preferred option, due to the recent rain, and snow the soil on the plot is unworkable at the moment.
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| Preparation of Early Brassica Bed |
The good weather tempted us down the allotment on Friday afternoon. The ground was very wet, certainly too wet to dig over, but I managed to prepare a bed ready for our early brassicas which are coming as plug plants from DT Brown. The bed had some compost spread over it and as brassicas prefer to be planted in firm ground I thought the bed didn't need to be dug over. Some fish blood and bone fertiliser and some garden lime were incorporated before the weed control fabric was moved from last year's brassica bed to this one.
Next on the list is to get a bed ready for planting our onion sets but with heavy overnight rain Friday night into Saturday morning, it's going to have to wait until the ground dries out a bit. I've learnt the hard way that attempting to dig our clayey soil when it's too wet can create almost unworkable soil. It's far more productive to delay digging and sowing until the ground dries out a bit.
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And they are off! You can't go wrong with broad beans come March!
ReplyDeletep.s. Have to admit to sowing lots of things too early already (Tomatoes, peppers, onions) - and now going hell for leather.
I’m doing pretty well as I’ve only sown those broad beans. Need to get some leeks sown soon. Tomatoes and peppers will have to wait until the beginning of April. I note there’s talk of another cold spell at the end of March beginning of April. Long way off and weather models aren’t in agreement so anything could happen.
DeleteJudging from your SSW warning the cold spell is a dead cert! I will have to wheel out my greenhouse paraffin heater and/or give some plants house room!
DeleteThank you Martyn for sharing must a mit have not sown any broad beans as yet blessing to Sue and yourself
ReplyDelete