16 Mar - Onion Sets and Parsnips

What another wonderful weekend; it really was very warm, especially today. I had a bit of a think and a quick look at the forecast for the week and decided to put my onion sets in. The ground has dried really well over the past fortnight and with predicted low temperatures of 5 degrees over the week ahead I thought they might as well go in this weekend rather than next which I had planned.

Onions can be over-wintered with a bit of cloche protection but sets are usually put out from mid-March depending on the weather. For example, look at the weather this March compared to last year at the same time where we were still in the grip of a long freeze. That's why planting times for crops can be rather imprecise; because it says on the packet the seeds can be sown in March it doesn't mean you can do it with a foot of snow on the ground! Always try and read the weather - nevertheless early plantings are always educated guesswork. I've planted out my usual Sturon onions this year, they always do well except in the wettest of summers.

I've also sown some Gladiator F1 parsnips today too. I'm trying the pre-hole method for the first time as my clay soils aren't the best for long root crops. I pushed a cane into the earth and waggled it in widening circles to create an inverted cone shaped hole. I mixed up a bucket of compost, sharp sand and some sieved soil along with a handful of general fertilizer and then filled each hole in the row with this much finer mixture. I've sown three seeds on top of each hole and covered with a little more of the compost; I'll thin out to one plant per station when they germinate (which can take some time).

I've done a bit more digging, all the beds are done now and I've covered some sections that won't be used for a month or two with black plastic to keep any weeds down. I was very tempted to put out my early potatoes too, perhaps tomorrow if I dare? Anyway, here's a nice shot of a female House Sparrow that was hopping through the allotment hedge with a gang of her mates.