Resident city gardener Simon Lock explains why winter gets him jolly…
As months go January gets a lot of stick. But, between you and me, I quite like it. Don’t get me wrong, I like a Christmas jumper and an office party as much as the next man, but it is January that really gets me feeling jolly.
The first month of the year offers up the perfect opportunity to restore order to what has, by December, inevitably deteriorated into a pretty untidy existence. The year begins with an ambitious to-do list being ceremoniously stuck to the fridge door and the coming year’s planting gets organised right down to the last radish.
When space is a premium it pays to plan ahead so, before rushing off to the garden centre to plunder the seed aisle, stick the kettle on and grab a pen and paper. Make a map of your veg patch and if you haven’t already done so grab a PH testing kit and check the acidity of your soil.
This might all sound a bit high-tech but planting into suitable conditions can make the difference between a bumper crop and a bum deal, and rotating what you plant will keep your soil in top condition. Shift round brassicas, roots, legumes and fruits, so the same family isn’t planted in the same place two years running, and if need be you can adjust the PH levels by adding lime or sulfur.
If space is tight this can present problems, because that sunny spot where your tomatoes flourished last year is now out of bounds, but if you can juggle round grow bags and containers this gives you a distinct advantage over those planting straight into beds.
Now, with a plan in place, you can look forward to spring with renewed confidence and tick one more thing off that list.