[hamstergbert]

My dad's view was that packet dates were for guidance and "It says February on the packet.  Let's have a look-see what is says out of the window and on the lng range weather forecast!"

He was also adamant that if you leaned out of the greenhouse door to empty your tea and instead of splashing it clinked, it was probably a bit soon yet....

The details given on this and similar threads certainly suggest to me that I have been a bit eager in  years gone by, and it would explain the massive check everything seemed to get later on.     Perhaps I could persuade the memsahib to hide my seed stocks for a few weeks!

[mumofstig]

It'll be at least a few weeks if you look at the long range forcast, for once they all seem to agree that the cold is going to stay with us for a while yet..sob sob..snifffs

[JayG]

Trouble a) is that seed packets usually give a spread of sowing dates, and trouble b) is that the climate doesn't bother reading seed packets at all!

If you push it to the (early) limit of what it says on the packet and happen to get a late spring you will be in trouble.

Luck plays a part; I usually only try to "pinch an inch" on timings, and often play safe, but I've still had things like runner beans and courgettes sulk for the whole of June because it's too cold for them.

[sunshineband]

It'll be at least a few weeks if you look at the long range forcast, for once they all seem to agree that the cold is going to stay with us for a while yet..sob sob..snifffs

WHAT!!!!

[mumofstig]

Sorry Sunnshine, but Accuweather, Metcheck and BBC all show the first  week of march as being as cold as it is now  

[sunshineband]

OK, looking for the positive in that now.....

....................... oh yes, here it is:

So not getting my plot just yet is not such bad thing as it would be if it was a mild and gentle spring then 

[mumofstig]

Is your glass always half full Sunshine

I usually look on the 'bright side of life' de dum de dum..........
but this winter is making me feel very blue, so I'm struggling not to be miserable.

I need some sunny days to cheer me up...even if they are cold ones.

[JayG]

Is your glass always half full Sunshine

I usually look on the 'bright side of life' de dum de dum..........
but this winter is making me feel very blue, so I'm struggling not to be miserable.

Think you should start by not looking at long-range weather forecasts! 

[mumofstig]

Well it helps to know when to sow, if you know when outside is going to warm up.....otherwise I'd agree with you Jay

[LellyP]

Hi there,
This is my first time on a forum and first time growing vegetables.  I sowed a variety of different seeds about a week and an half ago, put them under a plastic cover on windowsill, and I now have a 3 trays of leggy seedlings with two tiny leaves at the top - from reading the thread it sounds as if I have had them too warm and perhaps should have taken the cover off as soon as they came through - so should I just put that down to first lesson learned and start again?

Thanks for any feedback.

[bigben]

LellyP depending on the seedlings you might be able to plant out or repot them deep so they are supported by the soil, dont forget to get some foil behind them to up the light levels. It is now getting to the point where some stuff could be outside a bit through the day which will help harden them off and get them more sun.

good luck

[Cheshire Phill]

Update then - exactly one month on, plenty of cold nights (-4C in greenhouse!!) and I still have 90% of my "leggy seedlings"...

Potted 'em up to leaves, fleeced 'em at nights with a tiny parrafin heater for the really cold ones, and I have plenty of greyhound, altess, golden acre and hispi (cabbage) serac and all-year round (cauli) doing quite well.

Course, I've already sowed replacements, so will have 'em coming out of my ears this year!!

Not done well with my impatient early sowings of radish and carrot (trays started inside, then to greenhouse), although the spring onions look OK.

Also OK with a few parsnips germinated indoors in rootrainers, will put those out under fleece shortly.

No sign of any leeks yet...despite sowing 4 cat litter trays of 4 types...but they'll come!!

Sunny as you like in Cheshire today, I feel an early finish coming on!!

Phill