February
This month has seen a gradual if not spectacular start to 2018 but
tubers are now showing signs of growth. The lighter nights and heat
below the glass from the sun will hopefully speed things up. It is now
that I start to plan my year and decide on any changes to my growing
methods. I am very fortunate to live near the base of the Clydeside
Trading Society, it is a Commercial Horticultural supplier and the
people who work there are a font of useful knowledge. I tinker rather
than change my methods always looking to improve, and although no two
years are the same with regards to growing conditions, comparisons can
be made.
This year I am going to use a new foliar feed Maxicrop Extra-f. After
being relegated to 2nd place in the growing order, of the
Hamilton household last year. The phrase “I must do better” comes to
mind. Not every change improves results, but it does extend your
knowledge and over time does help to improve the standard to which
plants can be grown. Begonias react well to being foliar fed and the
Maxicrop seaweed feeds help to maintain healthy foliage which in turn
helps build a natural resistance to pests and diseases. Will it work,
only time will tell, and as far as feeding plants goes a lot is down to
the weather and the plants themselves. Despite having a hut that
resembles a chemist’s shop, I do not use a lot of liquid feed as too
much salt in the pots is detrimental to the root system which sustains
growth.
The cutting tubers which were planted earlier are now in need of potting
and I have decided to use the Clover potting compost the larger tubers
are being started in. Hopefully this will produce the root system
required to get them growing. A tip I got many years ago was that a
plant requires as much below the ground as it has above.
The first pest of the year has been discovered and dispatched, mice are
not a begonia growers friend, it always amazes me how they seem to know
just which tubers you are short of and steal them accordingly. With a
bit of luck peanut butter will seem more appealing than my tubers of
Anniversary.
John Hamilton
