Gardening Blog
Allotment Diary
March 10, 2009: the ice of March
With Jack Frost still out and about, all the action is in the cosy warmth of the greenhouse, with Terry Walton's seedlings
It was not the 'ides of March' that we had to beware but the first of March. The change of month brought back the taste of winter. Again the snow fell and the mountain tops were covered in icing sugar and glistened in the morning sunshine. Night time brought back Jack and his bright frosty morns.
So the taste of spring we enjoyed in late February was snatched back from us.
March is a month that cannot make up its mind whether it belongs to winter or spring and its indecision leaves the gardener at its mercy. Many gardeners rushed on with unnatural planting regimes during the warmer spell and will now rue those hasty actions. March is a good time to sit on your hands and bide out those days on the open plot getting the soil ready but leaving the seeds in the packet. When will we ever learn!
Despite the cold weather the toil in the greenhouse can continue. The lamp burns bright in there giving it a cosy feel and keeping those tender plants in a happy mood. The one victim of its own success, however, was the poor old broad bean. They had relished the warm conditions and were getting too top heavy. Time to take action and remedy this state of affairs.
Despite the coolness of the outside world they were evicted to the cold frame. No heating for them any more but the frame at least sheltered them from the cold, strong winds. They did however have their little roots in the polystyrene cups which help keep their little ‘feet’ warm! This will make them much hardier and they will be tough enough to take the next move in their life cycle and be ready for the trip to the plot at the end of March.
The space vacated by these trays was soon evident and cried out to be filled. My onion seedlings of beautifully red-skinned and mild 'Red Baron' Onions were showing true leaf and were jostling each other for space in the seed tray. Soon the space was full again with five trays of these transplanted seedlings. Not all for my own use mind you, I have orders for a tray each from some of the other allotmenteers. I wonder what the going barter rate is for a tray of onion seedlings this year. I could do with a few cauliflower plants and some peppers, so perhaps that is the going rate.
But back to the topic most discussed by gardeners up and down the land, yes the weather. This brings back some of the folklore sayings used by the 'old timers' that I remember from my youth. One in particular is very relevant if applied to this year and this was:
'MUCH FEBRUARY SNOW
A FINE SUMMER DOTH SHOW'
Back in my young days on this allotment that was probably very true and those were the days of clearly distinct seasons. Nowadays, the advent of climate change makes the crossover of seasons far vaguer.
After the summers of the last two years I only hope that this little piece of folk lore will bode true. But as all things in life, as my old Mum used to say, wait and see.
More from Terry Walton
More gardening
- Martyn Cox on how to tidy up ornamental grasses
- Val Bourne on how to grow auriculas
- David Chapman on the bee
- Visit our gardening channel
- Chat to other allotmenteers at Saga Zone
My Life On A Hillside Allotment
Terry Walton is a regular contributor to The Jeremy Vine Show on BBC Radio 2 and has written a book called My Life on a Hillside Allotment, published by Bantam Press. The book is available from Amazon.
