Planning Ahead for the 2023 Growing Season

We hope you have all had a good start to the year and that you are looking forward to the 2023 growing season? As the hours of daylight start to increase, the MyFarm team are busy planning what we are going to be growing in our allotments and garden vegetable patches this year. Whilst this winter the weather has been fairly unpredictable, alternating between hard frosts and warmer than average temperatures, there are still plenty of jobs which we can be getting on with.

If you’re looking for some inspiration and encouragement to get back outside over the next few weeks, then here are some jobs which the MyFarm team will be tackling.

Get Your Greenhouse Ready for Spring

If your greenhouse is anything like ours, then chances are it has started to turn a slightly unattractive shade of green from a combination of moss and algae. Now is the perfect time of year to give both the inside and outside of your greenhouse a good clean before you start planting your vegetable seedlings. Depending on the size of your greenhouse, the job could take anywhere from a couple of hours to a whole day and is best done on a dry, calm day.

After removing any pots and trays from the greenhouse, give the floor a good sweep to get rid of any debris. You can also use a soft brush to remove any dirt from shelving and give them a good clean with a specialist garden cleaner to kill any bacteria.

Now it is time to turn your attention to cleaning the algae, moss and general dirt from your greenhouse glass. If your greenhouse needs an intensive clean, then we recommend using Rootblast Green Algae Remover. This super concentrated cleaner will not only remove green algae and other dirt and grime, but it also acts as a disinfectant to kill 99.9999% of bacteria. It can also be used to clean your pots, gardening tools, paths, patio and much more.

Prepare Your Vegetable Beds Ready for Spring Planting

As the ground starts to warm up, it is a good idea to give your vegetable beds or allotment plot some attention before planting. Digging the ground and turning the soil over will help to aerate and warm the soil as well as breaking up any compacted areas of ground. Now is also a good time to dig in some compost to add vital nutrients back into the soil. You should also make sure you remove any weeds at the same time as digging over the beds to ensure that they don’t get any larger or spread over your plot as the weather warms up. 

Chit Your First Early Potatoes

If you’re planning on growing an early crop of potatoes to enjoy in June, now is the time to prepare your seed potatoes ready for planting in late February or early March. The easiest way to prepare or “chit” your seed potatoes is to place each one in a seed tray or an old cardboard egg box with the eyes facing upwards. Then simply leave in a cool, light spot until shoots of roughly 1-2 cm have started to form.

Prune Your Soft Fruit Shrubs

Now is also the perfect time to prune your soft fruit shrubs such as raspberries, blackcurrants and gooseberries. It is a good idea to remove any of the older wood, especially from the centre of the plant to allow light and air to get through as the foliage and fruit develops. Aim to cut back about a third of the plant (for more established fruit bushes) and make sure you cut the branches as close to the ground as possible.  As well as tidying up your fruit shrubs, pruning will also ensure you have a good healthy plant that should hopefully produce a bumper crop of fruit in the summer.

Check Your Plant Feeds and Order More Supplies

A final job for the coming weeks is to do a thorough stock take of your plant feeds to see what you need to purchase in preparation for the coming months. Getting organised for the growing year will not only ensure you get what you want before things go out of stock, but it can also help to save you money. You can now purchase your favourite MyFarm products for less directly through our website with our tiered pricing options. Purchase one product at full price; purchase two of the same product to save 10% or save a fantastic 25% off the purchase price by buying three of the same product!

Final Thoughts

We hope we have given you the inspiration and encouragement you need to get ready for this year’s vegetable growing season. If you haven’t already, then we would encourage you to sign up to our email newsletter to make sure you stay up to date with all of our latest blogs and product news. You will also save 10% off your first order from our website, so make sure you pass the message on to family and friends!