February can be a month of inconsistencies. It can be heralded by early morning sunshine. It can be soaked by constant rain, or it can be frozen by sudden frosts or snow in our DA14 area.

February is the month when we can see the seed potato bags in the local garden centres. It can also be the month when new stock arrives like fruit trees or clematis.

Not possessing a “proper” greenhouse, I have to germinate seedlings that require warmth wherever I can. One of these places is the conservatory. Currently, we have a few examples of shrub rose 'Rosa Rugosa' as well as a fuschia from the front garden which is, as yet, unidentified. There are of course the obligatory 6 pots of Broad Bean Aquadulce Claudia in various stages of development and there will be the annual challenge of transplanting the 'oldest' of these (currently about 4ft/121cms tall tied to canes in the pots) to the Allotment when the frosts have stopped.

Going back to the potatoes I’m trying Sarpo again this year. They are a main crop red potato and we are still using last year’s supply that were dug up in October so they store very well – I use hessian sacks from the local garden centre. I like to ask for Sarpo as a Christmas present and our generous daughter and my generous sister included a box of them from Thompson & Morgan - the boxes arrived in the post at the beginning of February and were immediately put in a box to start sprouting (chitting) in readiness for planting in March.

February - a Month of Inconsistencies

Steve Smith

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