Get a head start on growing vegetables this spring

People are being encouraged to mark the onset of spring by heading back out to their garden sheds and get a head start on growing vegetables.

By pre-warming the soil in the new season crops are able to germinate earlier than usual, the Telegraph reports.

Hardy vegetables such as carrots and beetroot germinate with soil temperatures above an average of 46 degrees Fahrenheit (7.7 degrees Celsius), while sweet corn and beans need about 54 degrees Fahrenheit (12.2 degrees Celsius), states the news provider.

This can be achieved simply by covering the garden bed with plastic sheeting six weeks before sowing.

"This will help warm it up during the day and reduce heat loss at night," the Telegraph states.

"Bear in mind that sandy free-draining soil warms more readily than wet soil … consider raised beds if your soil is heavy and wet."

The news provider advised that transparent plastic is best for warming the soil, while a layer of black polythene covered by clear polythene is the "ultimate" soil warmer.

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  Written by Robin Antill+ Started making garden sheds in 1979. so 31 years experience. Online since 1996. 1st in UK.