[Growster...]

Considering the slow start of spring, and cold weather in most places, I seem to be putting everything back by at least four weeks now.

Now this raises the question, does the loss of the new spring light make that much difference? We seem to have lost a valuable month of sunlight, because we just haven't sown greenhouse seedlings, and the later strikes will need to catch up pretty damn quick!

So perhaps a policy of growing more plants is in order, and plant them out closer together, to maintain a sensible yield, as the plants may well be so much smaller come autumn!

Plants like leeks may be OK, but some others, like peas etc, may not do so well...

Any thoughts on this...?

[mumofstig]

Peas should be ok, they are a cool weather crop - they'll just harvest later   

My worries are the beans, if it's cold intil the end of April (which some of the forcasts say) with only a slightly warmer May - it might not be warm enough for long enough to get a beany harvest 

Cabbage and broccoli should be ok in a cooler summer - but Squash of all sorts might struggle to get going, if at all before the Autumn chill starts........... no courgette fairy this year, unthinkable? - maybe not 

[shokkyy]

I'm beginning to think the aubergine and pepper crop this year is also going to be non-existent, because they both need quite a long season too, even inside a greenhouse or tunnel. And I'm also feeling a bit pessimistic about the squashes. Courgettes do at least tend to grow pretty fast when they get going, but squash need more time. And I'm really hoping this isn't going to be the second year running I fail to get any outdoor tomatoes. Unless we get a serious Indian summer at the end of the year, I think we're starting to run out of time for a lot of the tender stuff.

But spare a thought for the poor farmers. If they have a second year running of disastrous crops, a lot of them won't survive it.

[simonwatson]

I never eve sow my squash until early May. We get frosts up to late may up here and it's just too hard to keep large plants in the greenhouse that long. I still get a reasonable yield of pumpkins and butternuts.

[Growster...]

All these replies are spot on - especially where squash is concerned, as last year thay just mumbled for ages before taking off! There probably aren't enough weeks left now.

Is there a south facing wall you can use for toms, Shokkyy?

Perhaps beans should all go in asap under cloches, Mum, as at least if there is a glut (ever...), they can go in the freezer.

And the courgette fairy is BOUND to turn up...

...isn't she...?

[shokkyy]

Is there a south facing wall you can use for toms, Shokkyy?

I always put my outdoor toms in some raised beds I have that are in a really sheltered part of the garden, with walls to the east and west and a fence to the north. But last year they struggled for ages to get started, and just as they did they were hit by blight. First time I've ever had blight in my garden. The hanging basket cherries just sat and sulked all year. I did get a decent crop from the cordon plants I had in my tunnel, so something at least, just nowhere near the crop I usually get.

[Kirpi]

Growing - as we all do - makes us very much aware of some of the difficulties farmers face in producing enough food for a world of people. Respect to them.

[Azazello]

Growing - as we all do - makes us very much aware of some of the difficulties farmers face in producing enough food for a world of people. Respect to them.

This - last year, nothing worked out apart from the spuds in the garden. I was very glad not to have to rely on my own efforts!

Going by long range forecasts (liable to change I know), the summer might be quite OK, so I'm not too pessimistic for this year as yet.

[Christine]

Sigh and there's snow on the forecast for the next couple of days - not to mention flakes in the wind today. As well as visible snow on the hills on the skyline.

Sounds like another week lost then.

[richy]

Over the past couple of years the weather in march has been unseasonably warm, there is no need to worry about sowing yet there is so much time, april may and june, see loads of time i remember march always being a cold frosty month when i was growing up.

[BabbyAnn]

i remember march always being a cold frosty month when i was growing up.

me too - even April would be cold but by the mid-end of the month, there would be a dramatic change, and then May would be brimming with fresh new growth and flowers.  These exceptionally warm springs have usually been followed by awful cold wet weather in May so fingers crossed this  early spring weather will improve soon.

As for sowing, unless it's destined for the greenhouse, I'm not worried about being a month behind 

[JayG]

As of now I only think of my spuds as being really behind (they are still on the windowsill and their patch is still covered in snow!) and no doubt the shallots and garlic will not exactly be racing away just now.

Seeded onions and leeks are still indoors (not ideal but can't quite bring myself to turn them out into the GH!)

Wouldn't have sown any of the tender summer stuff anyway just yet, so not getting tooooo miserable, although I am getting pretty fed up with these whole-week-at-a-time "no change" forecasts! 

[mumofstig]

Over the past couple of years the weather in march has been unseasonably warm, there is no need to worry about sowing yet there is so much time, april may and june, see loads of time i remember march always being a cold frosty month when i was growing up.

But it was the coldest March since 1962, as confirmed by the Met

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/news/releases/archive/2013/cold-march-statistics

[Growster...]

Biting the bullet this week on spuds! They're going in under cloches, and I'll be netting and covering on unlikely days!

Positive note on the weather forecast this morning, as there may be a return to average temps next weekend...

You gotta believe it...;0)

[mumofstig]

YUp!.................. It really is about time the blimming blocking unblocked, for goodness sake!