Monty Don, the renowned British gardening expert and TV presenter, has revealed his top tips for what to plant this chilly season. On his website, Monty said: “In the vegetable garden I dig and, if the soil is dry enough, sow broad beans and plant onion sets.
“If the ground is at all workable then I always try and sow some broad beans in February for an early crop. As soon as the soil warms up a little and the days get longer they will have had enough of a start to provide a picking a week or so earlier than the later ones – and that is a treat worth preparing for.”
He also mentioned the importance of the potting shed and greenhouse during this time: “The potting shed and greenhouse become the centre of activity, sowing seeds, taking dahlias out of hibernation, chitting potatoes. There is a temptation to sow too much, and almost everything that is to eventually be planted outside is better left until March, but I find it an irresistible impulse to sow as much as I can.”
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Monty highlighted the necessity of making the most of any ‘good weather’ before spring, defining ‘good’ winter weather as ‘dry and not so cold that the ground is frozen hard’, reports the Express.
Monty disclosed his distinctive method for planting tomatoes in the cooler months, he said: “I like to sow tomatoes in two batches, the first in February and another in March or even April both to stagger the harvest and as an insurance against bad weather.
“I scatter the seed thinly on the surface of peat-free compost in a seed tray and then very lightly covering them either with a layer of more compost or of vermiculite. Water them well and put them in a warm spot to germinate.”