Country life
WARMING UP TO SPRING
by Matt Noyce, Head Gardener at Quarr Abbey
After some really cracking warm and
sunny spring days, it is hard not to get
too carried away with thoughts of mid-
summer, lots of sunshine and lots of
produce, picnics and barbecues!
Alas, we are not there yet and we still have much
sowing, planting and preparation to do before then.
Still, we have the daily chorus of birdsong to enjoy
at this time of year and the lushness of the early
season foliage.
Quick growing plants and crops that are already
established are starting to yield. Rhubarb, asparagus,
chard, spinach, radishes and salad leaves are growing
inside the polytunnels and outside in the plots. We
continue to sow as conditions allow. Sown into seed
plugs and trays, the young plants are ‘pricked out’ and
‘potted on’ or planted in soil after they establish and
reveal their ‘true’ leaves and show signs of a good root
structure. We still have to be mindful of the potential
for late frosts, though.
In the borders, attention is given to emerging
plants, roses and climbers that will need to be
trained or tied up against walls or by using supports.
Weeding needs to be regularly carried out to reduce
competition with your plants. Deadhead spent bulb
flowers, but leave the foliage whilst it is still green.
Lawns will benefit now from a gentle mowing
regime to start with. Bare patches will be
encouraged to recover by being prepared and
overseeded with a seed mix suitable for the
environment. Grass seed will quickly germinate as
the soil temperature rises.
Recently, it was a joy to spend a morning with Fr.
Gregory selecting and transplanting some of our
oak saplings to a new location to celebrate his 70th
birthday. The young trees have been planted on an
old field boundary in the same avenue as some of our
most majestic veteran oaks. All being well, they have a
bright three hundred year future ahead of them.
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