Under cover

Get the best from your greenhouse and polytunnel this month and reap the rewards later

This month we may feel the urge to make the most of the increasing possibilities outdoors on our plot – but lets not neglect those under cover spaces, too. Using them to their full advantage now can help even stronger, healthier and more plentiful harvests later on in the year. So, what should you be doing?

Spring clean

If you haven’t already done so, now is the last chance you’ll have to get some cleaning and clearing done in your under cover spaces before plants are taking over the space again. Give glass/plastic a wipe down and check for damage. This also helps maximise light, essential for your young crops. Clear down surfaces so any potting on done inside is done without the risk of introducing pests or diseases from the previous season. Clear out gutters, and take inventory of all your garden kit, replacing or repairing anything that might be broken. Then you will be all set for the sowing, potting on and growing to come!

Check your structure

Again, if this hasn’t already been done, make sure you give your garden buildings a once over before they are jam-packed with plants. Check for torn polythene or loose panels, and damaged doors or vents. This gives you the chance to make any repairs before plants are large and unruly and would need moving around.

Prep beds and refresh paths

Time flies in the garden and it wont be long until you’ll be moving seedlings from pots into your greenhouse or polytunnel beds. Now is a good time to make sure beds are in good order with weeds and old plants removed and compost etc refreshed. Paths can be tidied and re-edged or filled so you can move through the space easily once plants are in siu and needing care.

Pot up plugs

This is an important job when you bring plug plants home from the garden centre. Chance are, they’ll be too small to go outside just yet, so fill small pots with peat-free compost, make a hole and drop the rootball in so the lowest leaves are just above soil level. Grow on in the greenhouse until the roots fill the pot, then you can start hardening them off to plant outside.

Build under cover supports

It’s hard to imagine this at the seedling stage we are currently in, but in a few months your tomatoes and cucumbers will be hitting your greenhouse or polytunnel roof. A simple cane sunk into the ground alongside each plant might seem like plenty of support at this point – but the best way to guarantee no late-season accidents is to build a frame of canes for plants to sit inside. Sink upright

canes into the ground in two rows – one along the greenhouse wall, and a parallel row along the central path. Lash more canes horizontally to these uprights at about 45cm and 90cm above ground,then add short canes across the two rows too to lock everything together in a grid.

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