[al78]

Three named storms in four consecutive weekends means it is unlikely any allotment groound preparation is going to happen this weekend either. With no respite from the continuous unsettled weather in sight, and being on heavy clay soil, at this rate, I will be lucky to start cultivating before Easter. This is a bit like 2013 for a different reason, back then, March was colder than three quarters of the winter months in the previous 50 years, so couldn't get going until April. What is the latest you have been able to start cultivating due to persistent adverse weather?

[greenjay]

I think everybody is fed up with the rain and wind.
the weather can change very quickly. later crops usually perform better than ones sown in less than favourable conditions.
what's the betting on a hose pipe ban come the summer?

[Christine]

Up here starting growing is normal later March but we all hope that we get the ground prep done earlier.

[rowlandwells]

I think I commented on a this before about our own dilemma of starting cultivation because with all that rain in the autumn meant we couldn't plough our allotment ground and even the raised beds where to wet to dig

normally the ground would have been ploughed to let the weather do its job overwinter then come spring the ground would have been cultivated with the ground having a fine tilth to work now its going to take a lot more work to get it to a growing tilth but probably it may not break down as its a tad on the heavy side 

and I agree with you its going to be April before we can get started on any sort of cultivation and that's if the ground dries up may be those with lighter soils will be able to start a little earlier? I know my daughter allotments will be ok to start sometime in March as that's much lighter soil its a long winter and all of us are itching to get out start gardening but I think the only gardening we will be doing is in the greenhouse and even that's cold and damp

[Tenhens]

On last nights The One Show  one of the BBC weather people mentioned that there was a 'possibility ' of more rain next weekend , apparently it's been brought in on the jet stream. .  Wettest February on record??
 

[al78]

On last nights The One Show  one of the BBC weather people mentioned that there was a 'possibility ' of more rain next weekend , apparently it's been brought in on the jet stream. .  Wettest February on record??
 

It is officially the second wettest February on record. We will find out in a week or so if the record has been broken.

[al78]

It is provisionally the wettest February on record, beating the previous record held in February 1990. Even by normalising for the number of days per month (accounting for the extra day this year), it is still the wettest (i.e. in average mm per day).

[Wellington]

I’m right fed up of it. I’m itching to get out there on my NEW allotment and it’s ‘orrible. Not helped by pics of last half term, where we were prancing about in t shirts.

I’m not going to dig, just dump a load of compost on the beds and plant into that, so as long as it’s not underwater (it’s not, it’s on a slope) all I really need is weather that’s not apocalyptic and the cowman to deliver five tonnes of the brown stuff. Although it would be nice if the seedlings stopped ending up upsidedown under the greenhouse. That’s setting things back a bit.

[The Persistent Novice]

Managed to get onto my plot today and surprised how well the beds have drained, all that hard work over the past two years has paid off. Turned four beds over, just need to add some goodness into them ahead of planting. Am I right in thinking that chicken manure pellets are good for growth above ground, brassicas, sweet corn, courgettes etc. and Growmore works best for root vegetables? Or am I totally wrong. Any advice gratefully appreciated.

[Yorkie]

Chicken pellets are highest in nitrogen, which is good for leaves.  Potassium is good for flowers (i.e. courgettes, tomatoes etc once they've started flowering/fruiting).

Growmore is a balanced fertiliser so does everything rather than one specific thing.

[The Persistent Novice]

Chicken pellets are highest in nitrogen, which is good for leaves.  Potassium is good for flowers (i.e. courgettes, tomatoes etc once they've started flowering/fruiting).

Growmore is a balanced fertiliser so does everything rather than one specific thing.

Cheers, thanks for that, will bear that in mind.