It’s all about soil prep……….

If you haven’t done so already, clean up and dig the veg patch this month. Remove any yellowing leaves from brassicas and any plant debris, which should be binned or burnt if diseased. Digging and turning over the soil and exposing it to the cold helps to kill off soil pests. Remove the roots of any perennial weeds as you come across them. Dig in compost or farmyard manure to enrich the soil and improve soil structure. Test the soil and if you find it’s acidic, dig in lime (follow instructions on the packet) as veg generally grow better in Ph neutral soil. You need to leave 2 months between liming and planting. If it’s wet, use a plank to walk over wet soil to stop it compacting. Seedbeds can be prepared now (see VegGrowing from Seed) and covered with fleece, polythene or growing tunnels to warm the soil in preparation for sowing seed. Plan your crop rotation to ensure crops are grown in different positions within the veg patch from the previous year. See our Crop Rotation section for more info.
If you’re planning on establishing any asparagus beds, these can be prepared now. These especially need the incorporation of plenty of organic matter and if your soil is heavy, add in some grit or calcified seaweed to break it up and improve drainage. Again, check for soil acidity and remedy if necessary. Asparagus is a relatively fuss-free crop once planted but perennial weeds can be a nuisance and will over-run the beds given half a chance. Using weed control membrane between the rows will halve your weeding time as you’ll then only need to focus on weeding the rows themselves and is well worth the relatively short time it takes to put the membrane down.

Starting things off….

If you live in a mild area, if the weather’s good, if your soil is light & sandy and you’ve already warmed the soil (that’s a lot of if’s!), you can you can start sowing outside and under cloches or growing tunnels - summer cabbage, onions, parsnips, broad beans, peas, carrots, spinach, lettuces, early beetroot and radishes. Garlic and shallots can also be planted under these conditions.
If however, your soil is heavy & clay and/ or you live in colder regions, wait until March before considering sowing outside. If you’re keen to get started, you can start some crops off in propagators/heated greenhouse/on the windowsill. Greenhouse tomatoes and cucumbers can be started off mid month in heated propagators. Try sowing peas in Rowplanters in the greenhouse and when it’s time to plant out, the row can be gently pushed into a prepared drill without disturbing the seedlings.
Jerusalem artichoke tubers can be planted – you can use the tubers you’d normally buy to eat from the greengrocer. Seakale and chicory for forcing can be….forced! (See January for details)
Get your seed potatoes chitting by standing them up (egg boxes are good for this) with the most chitted end upwards, in a cool (frost-free) & well lit place.
If you really want to get a head start on things to save time later on and are planning on growing runner beans, you can get started on constructing your supports. Remember to plant beans or peas (‘legumes’) in a different position than the previous 2 years. Brassicas will thrive in plots that previously grew legumes.

Still harvesting……….

Winter crops such as leeks, broccoli, swede, turnip, celeriac, sprouts throughout the month. Spring cabbages in the ground need a high nitrogen feed, like Chempak Formula 2 or poultry manure. Early spring cabbage varieties are likely to be ready from the end of the month and when ready to harvest, cut off the stem and cut a cross in the stem’s top to encourage the growth of spring greens.

Keep an eye out for…….

Pesky mice nibbling at stored veg and newly sown crops under cloches or in tunnels. Stored veg should be regularly inspected for rot and any offending specimens should be removed before ruining the lot.
Slugs are always a pest to be watchful for. Pigeons are a particular pest of mature brassica crops, so use netting to protect your crops. Certain birds are also a nuisance to seeds and seedlings and if you’re a committed VegGrower, or you have a large patch and/or a repeated bird problem, then it’s well worth considering a walk-in fruit cage to cover the lot and protect it permanently. The initial outlay might seem quite a lot but when you consider the amount of time & money spent over the years protecting your crops, it’s a worthwhile investment.