March
As we move into March it’s time to think about
composts & 2nd potting, I make all my own composts. With many of my
tubers started in plain peat the 2nd pot will need some feed in the mix.
I’m slightly changing my mix for the 2nd pot, going for a 50/50 peat &
soil-based mix. Hopefully this mix will help keep the excellent root
growth I’ve got in the plain peat growing just as vigorous. Using a
3-litre pot I will measure out 5 x medium course peat 5 x sterilised
loam (Keith Singletons) 2 x grit. I use a cement mixer to mix it all up
starting with the loam & grit adding 8 oz of Q4 base mix fertiliser,
6 oz Nutrimate, 3 oz ground calcified seaweed & 3/4
oz Dolmitic lime. Once this is mixed then the peat is added but it must
not be over mixed, or the course peat will be destroyed to a fine peat
defeating the openness required in the mix. Once the plants are in their
fresh compost, they are now on an open bench but still on a heated mat,
with their heads in the cold & the roots still getting a little warmth
the root growth will continue but top growth will slow right down. Now
room can become a bit sparse & I don’t want to start putting plants into
the large glasshouse until April due to no heating. Basket plants are
moving well, the first baskets will soon need to be made up. Baskets
will be grown in my 50/50 mix to help keep the baskets a little lighter,
don’t want them breaking the chains. Now that March has arrived, I’ve
started off 110 tubers for flowering early August, but still have 140
left in the garage that don’t need starting till April for the British
Championship in September.
Phil Champion
