Allotment advice and tips - February

Month by month guide:
Vegetables, herbs and fruit.

What to do in the allotment in February

February - To Do List:

Sow broad beans under cloches for an early crop. Warm the soil for two weeks using cloches, black polythene or carpet and then sow the seeds in shallow trenches.

If the soil is workable and not frozen, waterlogged or too stodgy then you can plant out Shallot sets later this month. Choose a mild spell of weather and a position that gets plenty of sun for the best results. Ideally improve the soil first by digging in plenty of compost, a week or so before planting.

If you haven't already done so, buy seed potatoes now (Percy Chapman's in Twickenham) (website dodgy) have got some great new varieties as well as all the old favourites ) choosing varieties that are resistant to problems you know are prevalent in your area. Choose to buy a few tubers of several different varieties that mature at different times. Take them out of their bags and spread them out in trays or egg cartons in a light, frost-free place to sprout.

Cover areas of soil with cloches or black polythene or good old carpet to warm it up before sowing spring vegetables next month.

SOW
Brussels Sprouts (frost protect)
Early Carrots (frost protect)
Maincrop Onion seed (protect)
Summer Lettuce (protect)
First Early Peas (protect)
Summer Radishes (protect)

PLANT
Maincrop Onion sets

HARVEST
Brussels Sprouts

SPECIAL CARE
Prepare bed for carrots

More suggestions?

Some suggestions that have been sent in.

Composting: All you need to know

Manure: Some suggested uses

Wormeries: How to create a wormery.

If you have any advice on anything to do with allotments please contribute.