Amaryllis
To keep them after they have flowered. – feed them once a week and leave the leaves on. Stop feeding them in Aug/Sept and let them dry off. Put into dark place for 5/6 weeks and they should then be growing by Christmas.
Planting Out
If planting out soft items such as tomatoes, please be wary as still risky – watch the night time temperature and cover with cloches, or fleece, if risk of frost.
“Ne’er cast a clout, ‘til May is out”
Many red bugs have seen at Rosedale Road which have been identified as firebugs (Pyrrhooris apterus).
They feed on lime tree and mallow seeds and are not a threat to crops.
Manure
Q . What to do with the straw that the manure has left behind – rake up and compost or dig in?
A. Best to rake up and compost, can be dug in but may get weeds!
Free bags of manure are available from the paddocks on High Road, Orsett – go down Baker Street, turn right at Kings Arms, stables on LHS; or at Sugarloaf Riding for the Disabled, Stifford Clays Road, RM16 3ND; or small stables top of Blackshots Lane.
Rhubarb
Starting to grow well
Fuchsias
Best to leave pruning old wood until mid-April when chance of frost has gone
Onions sets can be planted from March; they can have a good soak if in dry area, but must be allowed to dry out before soaking again. As our summers are getting drier the onions are smaller when cropped. Japanese onions are planted in November and are cropped a month earlier than regular onions, though they do not store as well. Red onions bolt more quickly than white onions. As soon as you see a flower spike snap it out and the onions will still swell but you will have to cut out, not use, the thicker tougher flower spike in the centre.
Shallots can go out now in a dryish patch.
Garlic can also go into ground if not too wet as could rot if it is also cold.
Cauliflowers – 2025 was a tough year for cauliflowers they need a lot of water and must not be allowed to dry out. Plant autumn and overwinter carefully.
Broad beans – sow in pots or in the ground – not too late to start. BB sown in November are hardier against blackfly.
Pruning – Good time to prune currant bushes, apple and pear trees – but not cherry or plum.
Beetroot need regular watering whilst growing then it should be able to stay in the ground until needed and not get woody. If ground freezes could go soft so cover with fleece. Still can be eaten if not bolted, or gone soft – good roasted with garlic.
Sprouts – current crop are small but tasty, some folk have reported the sprouts smelt strong, sulphurous but were fine when cooked not sure if weather has affected the smell. Make ground firm when plant seedlings and stake – should then get a decent crop of good sized sprouts. Don’t forget to eat the sprout tops – protect with netting from pigeons, crop once sprouts harvested, delicious steamed with butter.
Parsnips – have had their freeze and are tasting good.
Purple sprouting broccoli – if growing too large will need staking. Usually crops March onwards but is cropping earlier as climate warms.
Celery – JS has tried growing celery for the first time and that the plants are tall enough but the stalks are thin. AK said that amazing still alive as usually go over once cold. Shop bought celery is grown in Lincolnshire’s moist soil, homegrown celery rarely gets to the proportions of supermarket stock. It can be used to make a delicious soup. LB reported that his celery grew well and tasted good. Celeriac is a good alternative to celery – swede shaped, not a looker, has a mild celery flavour. AK is will be trying red celery this new growing year.
Pruning – time to prune your currant bushes – take out old black branches to encourage new green growth. Raspberries – cut out all canes that have fruited, they are usually brown, tie in the new green
canes. Autumn raspberries pruned differently – cut out fruited canes, leave green shoots which will grow into new canes. Good time to prune apple and pear trees.
Broad beans – time to plant, though they may need to be protected.