Well...winter is nearly at an end and we are looking forward to those warmer spring days with a little more daylight, so we can get back out in the garden. It's now time to select a good site for planting violets outdoors in a couple of months, although first there is some work to be done.

            As a first measure, select a good part of the garden, ideally facing North to South, which gently slopes South.  Next thing, the plot needs to be double dug and then lightly limed because this will help to keep down any soil living critters such as grubs and others.  In a couple of weeks it will be time to provide some food for the violets for when they're planted out, so we need to dig in some good well -rotted stable manure at about a bucket to the square yard.  Cow manure is OK but tends to grow too many leaves, and it's flowers we are after.

            For the next job we need a dry, warm day so that we can take all the violets in their pots out of the frames and greenhouses (glasshouses).  Then it's time to disinfect all through, so take a good garden disinfectant and dilute it to the recommended dose, making sure we get in all the nooks and crannies.  Scrub out the frames and greenhouses (glasshouses) remembering that critters like Red Spider Mite hibernate over winter in bricks and woodwork cracks, so make sure you give them a darn good scrub.

            When this is done and you move the violets back, just take a few minutes to check over each pot to remove dead and yellow leaves, along with any spent flowers, and if necessary, give a little water.

            Soon, we will have to think about planting out, keeping the violets fed and watered, and propagating from our stock.  These are things I will be discussing the near future.  So, take good care and call back to Jack's Patch.