hello

cede · « **on:** March 20, 2006, 10:48 »

just joined. i have a half plot which i took on last august. i have dug it all over and put in currants, rhubarb, gooseberries and strawberries. also garlic, broad beans, & psb. have other people put in potatoes yet? any signs of rhubarb? i'm hoping to sow some spinach with the broad beans(under cloche),carrots and onion sets - it's still so cold - all a bit of a gamble!! better go &sow...

John · « **Reply #1 on:** March 20, 2006, 11:43 »

Hello and Welcome

Bit early for planting potatoes outdoors, I think. They've always been traditionally planted at Easter but it is officially spring tomorrow. And the weather forcast here is sunny as well. Yippee!

lentil987 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 20, 2006, 14:08 »

My rhubarb is coming through nicely. I also have garlic, shallots and red onion sets growing under fleece. I havent planted anything else out yet as its just too cold.

cede · « **Reply #3 on:** March 20, 2006, 21:01 »

hi john i decided to go for it and plant the first earlies under a double layer of fleece - we'll see... lentil i am wondering about the rhubarb there's no sign at all is yours covered?

John · « **Reply #4 on:** March 20, 2006, 21:12 »

Well you're in sunny Surrey - the icebergs haven't melted here in 't north

Heather_S · « **Reply #5 on:** March 20, 2006, 22:10 »

I've been keeping an eye on what metcheck.com reckons the soil temperature to be since one of my vegetable books says basically nothing germinates below a soil temperature of 7C. Currently the soil's only 3-4C. Last week it was 2-3C so I'm hoping in another week or two...

My rhubarb was hiding under dead grasses... Way back in the summer when we got the plot, I thought there was no more than three plants ... now it looks like have a dozen or so(at least). I'll have to divide and separate them out next autumn, I think.

Garlic needs a very cold period(0-10C) in order to grow well so I don't have my garlic covered at all, nor the shallots since they're suppose to be quite hardy. I was very excited on Sunday when I saw a little green sprout out of the top of one shallot.

noshed · « **Reply #6 on:** March 20, 2006, 22:28 »

my rhubarb looks fine - but all i've done is plant some peas so far, apart from sorting out some old strawberry plants.
Hoping next weekend is a bit warmer but I've just discovered 99p fleece so a world of possibilities opens up.