Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Tip
Keeping track of your plants
If you decide to buy white plastic seed markers, the good news is that they will last
for years. Write on them only with a soft pencil, otherwise your writing will last for
years as well. To erase the lettering, rub it with your finger and a few drops of
muddy water. It will come straight off. If you're erasing the lettering from several
of them at the same time, wear a glove, or you'll rub your finger raw in the process.
To make your own seed markers, cut vertical strips out of the side of a plastic
yoghurt pot and give them a point at one end.
Building fertility
You should be just as concerned about building and maintaining soil fertility in
the polytunnel as you are in the wider garden, if not more so. In an ideal world
your polytunnel beds would be miraculously empty for a good top dressing some
time in May, but if you are getting the most out of your tunnel the beds are never
empty for very long - and certainly not all at the same time. As growing spaces
become free, apply a top dressing any time from mid-April onwards. You can
gently fork it in to the top 7cm of soil or leave it on the surface, depending on
what you plan to plant next, but deeper digging damages the soil structure and
should be done only very occasionally, or to remedy the formation of a hardpan
layer. Make sure that you water the surface enough to keep it slightly moist, as
this encourages worms to pull the dressing down into the soil for you.
What to choose as a soil dressing depends on the type and condition of your soil.
To build nutrient levels, use organic compost or manure. These will also help to
condition the earth and increase both aeration and water retention. Potting com-
post is usually low in nutrients (seedlings don't require much in the way of feed-
ing until they are more developed) but should also contain enough composted
vegetable matter to help to build good soil. Until you establish a routine, it is a
good idea to invest in a soil testing kit, which can give you values for nitrogen,
phosphorus, potassium and acidity (pH) so that you can watch how they change
from year to year. See Chapter 11 for further information.
Biodegradable pots
When sowing seeds of plants that do not like having their roots disturbed, such
as cucumbers and melons, it is really handy to be able to pop the whole thing,
pot and all, into the ground. Pots made from peat are no longer recommended
since peat extraction destroys irreplaceable wildlife habitat, and they are finally
beginning to disappear from the shelves of responsible retailers. Although you
can buy a more expensive version made from coir, it is easy enough to make your
own.
