Down to earth...with Anne Morris (From Salisbury Journal)

Down to earth...with Anne Morris

11:54am Thursday 26th February 2009 in Going Green

SNOWDROPS and winter aconites are in full bloom so it must be time to start preparations for the sowing season. But first of all I need to give my tools, pots, seed trays and greenhouse a little bit of a spring clean.

Treating the wooden handles of tools with boiled linseed oil is cheap, natural and, I find, very effective. The oil soaks in a treat and any surplus is easily wiped off. A stiff brush is all that’s needed for the metal parts to get rid of any residual soil. Hot soapy water is ideal but sadly that is not available at my allotment and cold water has to suffice. Once completely dry, the metal parts can be coated with linseed oil too.

Seed trays and plastic pots need a good scrub before the spring planting to get rid of any detritus and this is done at home with the bonus of plentiful supplies of warm, soapy water. It’s amazing how many pests (particularly small slugs and snails) overwinter just under the rim. Once washed and rinsed, it’s great fun lining up the clean pots in regiments on the lawn, eliminating any that are cracked or damaged in any way, before stacking them back up in the shed to await the promise of planting.

The greenhouse is best done on a sunny day so that I can take the staging out to give all the nooks and crannies a scrub. I don’t heat my greenhouse but that doesn’t stop a residual layer of algae building up on the sides, which all needs washing off – as dirty glass reduces precious light levels, so essential for plants to grow.