This year’s record high temperatures in February meant that the frogspawn appeared in our pond on the second day of March, almost a whole month earlier than last year. With only a tiny percentage becoming frogs, let’s hope the irregular seasonality won’t further count against them as they play such an important role in the garden, feeding on insects and helping to control pests such as slugs and snails naturally.
Now we’re into March the growing season is becoming visible all around, as more flowers and buds begin to open. In the vegetable garden the first greenish-purple spears of asparagus are poking through their nutritious seaweed mulch. Stems are ready for harvesting when they are 5 to 8 inches long and the season typically lasts between St. George’s and Midsummer’s Days. Thanet’s sea breezes and milder climate are thought to enhance its taste and extend its growing season.
This month we’re also sowing a cut flower bed in a sunny corner of the garden where we’ve usually grown our pumpkins. It’s likely to feature a mix of cornflowers, larkspur, sweet peas, sunflowers and zinnias and we’re greatly looking forward to sharing the results.
