[rowlandwells]

 I gather by what's been said that most of you are seed sowing with all that nice sunny weather its been quite warm in the greenhouses

but I'm undecided when to start as the weather seems to have changed to a more traditional type of March a tad colder so to sow or not to sow that is the question the allotments where drying out quite well so I could do some cultivation but after this rain I fear it needs a bit more sunshine and the weather  doesn't sound good for the weekend so I mite make a start on seed sowing next week?

[mrs bouquet]

I think that is wise.  I haven't been tempted yet, as I felt that the hot weather was a temporary blip.  It certainly is back to normal here now.

[Pescador]

March and April can still be frosty and so far this year it has been very unpredictable. I'd hold fire for a while yet.

[Aidy]

Move to Blackpool... Its always tropical here 

Just started to sow some greenhouse bits that need the longer growing period as I have a grow tent so can keep them indoors safe.
Broad beans are out, they are Sutton and like us Northerners tough as so weather never bothers them. Most other stuff will be over the next few weeks.

[rowlandwells]

I must admit sum of us down south tend to play it safe I don't think we loose much by being a bit later than some


I don't think we will see the beast from the east this year but I'm of old school my Dad always said don't do any gardening till the ground warms up and you can take your coat of and get the sun on your back

maybe the weather will be kind to us gardeners and we get an early warm spring but it usually rains here on bank holidays 

[Dev]

I must admit I couldn't wait and lulled by the sun or not I started sowing in the greenhouse on 9th Feb. I raise most of my plants in modules anyway, and as there is only two of us I never need loads of plants, so I sowed Cavolo Nero and Dwarf Green kales, Primo Filderkraut and Greyhound cabbage, AllYear Round and Clapton caulis, parsley, Lettuces Little Gem Lobjoits Freckles and Webbs Wonderful, Calabrese Matsuri - all five of each which are now out of the propagator and in the greenhouse. Also sowed lots of spinach Medina and Red Kitten and a trayful of Spring Onion Ishikuri. Then I went and had a pint and hoped I hadn't behaved like an absolute novice, but then thought its only ten seeds of most of them!

[snowdrops]

No, not tempted yet, waiting to give the green house it’s spring clean & tidy then maybe I’ll consider it when I know I’ve got somewhere to put things when they’ve germinated, no point if they grow leggy & week, they never do as well as strong little plants. Thought I’d have got my poly tunnel by now so no point in growing with that in mind, there’s always next year “Rodney”

[rowlandwells]

 its interesting that years ago they never had propagators and most didn't have greenhouses so they relied on sowings directly in the ground when the ground warmed up


they used to grow there brassicas in rows and pull the plants  and transplant in rows well modules wasen't inveted then but they seem to get results and i can't remember anyone using mesh on there crops when i was boy gardener  more like a twelve bore 

[New shoot]

You are right RW.  It is the soil temperature, rather than the air temperature, that counts for sowing at this time of year.  My plot soil is nowhere near ready for seeds.  Even the weed seeds are only just stirring. 

I'm growing for the 2 of us, so a module tray of 6 or 8 of a type of cabbage makes more sense than a whole row.   Much as I love cabbage, I don't want it every day    I'll have good strong plants to go out in a few weeks, rather than wait for seed.  All the soft stuff like beans, tomatoes and the like are still in the packets.

[Christine]

Yep - the warm weather has been a temptation but we are forecast howling winds at the moment. The weeds are thinking about it but only thinking. There's also the possibility of some proper rain in the next two days which will be of great benefit as the ground is exceedingly dry here.

As all the basic prep work is done, there's no rush to waste seeds too early. Another week and the temptation might be a winner with broad beans at least.

[goose]

 I have sown some seeds indoors and they are already showing, however, I only did a small amount of (lots of) things with the notion of sowing some more later as I have lots of seeds bought in the sale last winter.  I struggled last year due to the cold spring to get much growing, so thought I would chance an early sowing due to the glorious weather we were having.

time will tell if this will pay off, but ive lost nothing but a few seeds and a bit of time

[rowlandwells]

it seems most gardeners tend to do module  growing these days apart from less waste it makes cense to grow what you want when you want it we tend to grow more than we need but having said that we freeze the surplus


and for those early sowings every one to there own you pays your money you takes a chance it would be a sad world if we all did the same thing  as I said before call me old fashioned maybe I'm stuck in my old ways 

[Dev]

Very perceptive RW.If it works for you, it works for you. Always interesting to chance a bit though!

[Lulu]

I have sown some chilli & peppers but they are in the conservatory, along with my onions. My greenhouse is full of man shed stuff which I have told OH needs to be out by the end of March so I can start properly then.  But I do have itchy fingures. It's too cold in my garden to start really before then.

[Missey]

Just hi jacking slightly as I've a similar question - I go away begining April and I don't want to leave a load of seedlings so will I be ok to wait until I get back I'll be back the 2nd week April and I'm pretty southern.  My plan to counteract jet lag will be to be outside planting all my seeds.   Will only be leaving Celeriac & Chilli plants to ve looked after.

Thanks
Missey