RAISED BED AND CONTAINER WEEKLY DIARY
WEEK 1 IN MARCH

The beginning of March is often considered to be the start of the gardening year. The two vegetables which can be started off at this time of year include parsnips and new potatoes.

Some people start their new potatoes off earlier than this but they run the danger of a late frost when the very tender new plants emerge.

SUSAN'S ADVICE

It's easy to give seedlings a head start by growing them on the windowsill. One problem with this is that the temperature falls and rises very quickly during the day and night falling especially low if the curtains are drawn at night. I advise either leaving the curtains open at night or placing the plants in the room at night. It does sound like a chore but the seedlings will only be there for a month or so.

SECOND SOWING OF PARSNIP SEED
If you have followed our raised bed and container calendar you will see that we recommend sowing parsnip seed at four separate times, the first being in February - click here for detailed instructions on sowing parsnip seed. So this is the time of year to sow your second lot of parsnip seed. The third and fourth sowings should be made in March week 3 and April week 1.

START TO CHIT POTATOES
Our full article on when and how to chit potatoes can be found by clicking here. It's simply the process of starting seed potatoes into life indoors. It will help you to have an earlier crop of potatoes. Your next weekly diary entry for  potatoes in containers is to plant them out. Click here for that diary entry.

PLANT RASPBERRY CANES

Early March is the last chance you have of buying bare-rooted raspberry canes. See our main raspberry page for lots of information about selecting, planting and caring for raspberries.

FERTILISE RASPBERRY PLANTS
Sprinkle a handful of long-lasting fertiliser such as bonemeal or fish, blood and bone on the surface of the soil and gently work it in with trowel. The next application of long-lasting fertiliser will be in week 3 of June. In the meantime apply liquid general purpose fertiliser once a month according to the pack instructions. See our main raspberry page for more details.

PREVIOUS AND FUTURE WEEKS DIARIES

January Weeks 1-4

February Weeks 1-4

March  Week 1   Week 2   Week 3   Week 4

April  Week 1   Week 2   Week 3   Week 4

May  Week 1   Week 2   Week 3   Week 4

June  Week 1   Week 2   Week 3   Week 4

July  Week 1   Week 2   Week 3   Week 4

August  Week 1   Week 2   Week 3   Week 4

September  Week 1   Week 2   Week 3   Week 4

October  Week 1   Week 2   Weeks 3-4

November Weeks 1-4

December Weeks 1-4

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