[muntjac]

i put onion sets and shallots in today as well .for ya carrot .parsnips dig it down a spit and a half  and break up any clods . rake level  then mark a foot wide  and rake the soil up about 6 inches more in the row .level the top off leaving a nice level row ----__----__----__---- like so . then sow ya seeds on top of the row .just broadcast it on the top and lightly rake in taking care not to pull any soil down .i do this every time and get beut carrots long and clean .its how the farmers do it as well  

[Farmer Fred]

i put onion sets and shallots in today as well .for ya carrot .parsnips dig it down a spit and a half  and break up any clods . rake level  then mark a foot wide  and rake the soil up about 6 inches more in the row .level the top off leaving a nice level row ----__----__----__---- like so . then sow ya seeds on top of the row .just broadcast it on the top and lightly rake in taking care not to pull any soil down .i do this every time and get beut carrots long and clean .its how the farmers do it as well  

cheers, i'll get stuck into that tonight.

[fluffypebble]

Oh you guys just made me happy as i have not had chance to get my onion sets  in and am planning it for tomorrow no matter what the weather...mum has the hump with me and claims in her finest "I know best " manner i have left it far too late and missed it coupled with gardeners world last night saying its your last chance now ! so in they go tomorrow

Don't worry too much about being too late - I didn't get my plot until the end of last March, and then went to Spain for a month, so nothing got planted until I got home - and we had planty of lovely onions  

You have just put my mind at rest - thank you.  Still trying to dig plot, got some fruit bushes in today (about another 5 to go) but not started planting the tatties or onions yet.  

Thought I would have them in today but no, feels like I have done loads on the plot - looks like I have done b****r all.  My plot does have lots of stones and glass to clear as well as the weeds and levelling it.

[GrannieAnnie]

As I've been in Kent this past week, I've still got nothing in the ground, just y first bits in the greenhouse as long as OH hasn't killed them off!!!


I'm hoping to get my potatoes and onions in later this week.

I sowed some tomatoes early as I always give my daughter some to grow, but I hope they don't die!  She's got 2 on the windowsill for later, but I put the 3 tumbling toms in a hanging basket (1 of them died!), I've stood the bsket inside the legs of her little old BBQ, and we are trying to find a big clear plastic bag to put over it to keep them warm.  Then I've put 2 tomatoes in a sheltered border and put a half of a 2ltr pop bottle over each one!

Also planted 8 little lavenders in front of her window, she killed the last lot! and 5 or 6 ericas in a little circle she has in her tiny front garden, 3 primulas and some bulbs and seeds in 2 pots, a trough nd lots of bulbs in 2 borders we made down the sides of her garden!

[peanut97]

I planted some potatoes today too. I wanted to do some broad beans but am not sure if I have left them too late, do you have to start them off inside or can  you plant the seeds direct? I have not got a seed bed ready so can't do what it suggests on the packet.

[muntjac]

you can get em in now   cover em with a cloche to get em going qwik but you will be having blackfly later on .some say pinch the tips out to control em ..... phooey they dont have to climb so flipping high is all , spray em with tumble bug or some other " organic " bug control

[DD.]

I planted some potatoes today too. I wanted to do some broad beans but am not sure if I have left them too late, do you have to start them off inside or can  you plant the seeds direct? I have not got a seed bed ready so can't do what it suggests on the packet.

Stick em straight in outside, from now until May - no probs.