Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER ONE
Through the seasons
The traditional idea of a greenhouse is that it should be chock-full of hot-weather
plants, particularly tomatoes, to 'put on a really good show' in the summer.
Towards autumn this generates a glut that is largely given away to friends and
neighbours, either as ripe fruit or as chutney. Finally, at the end of the season,
the plants are stripped out and the whole structure scrubbed down for winter,
when it is used as a storage area for gardening equipment, children's toys and
perhaps a few overwintering containers from the patio.
This routine is typical, simply because it fits within the constraints of a small
greenhouse. Thankfully, the increased possibilities of a larger growing space mean
that we can - and should - throw this approach out of the window. Polytunnels
are far more useful, and with just a few basic changes you can produce harvests
to be proud of right through the year. This means taking a more balanced approach,
rather than growing for a single season: being prepared to take some crops out
earlier than you otherwise might, and to start some plants in containers that you
might ordinarily sow straight into the soil.
There is a certain rhythm to this kind of gardening, which the month-by-month-
photographs in the second colour section will help you to appreciate.
Spring (mid-February to early April)
Polytunnel spring begins long before any activity can be detected outdoors. The
salad crops, which have been standing fresh but inactive through the depths of
winter, tend to be the first to take advantage of the light by slowly accelerating
into growth. If you can make space, plant a few first early seed potatoes (always
use certified stock in the polytunnel to avoid the risk of blight), which will be
ready well before the outdoor harvest.
As light levels increase, some plants will bolt (run to flower) almost immedi-
ately. This is the cue to begin new sowings of crisp salad leaves and staples such
as baby carrots, radishes and kohlrabi, all of which grow very rapidly once
established. It's also time to start eating up most of the remaining standing
crops such as turnips and fully grown carrots, as they too will bolt soon and
become woody.
 
 
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