[Axe Victim]

Okay outside on the lottie I've got:-

garlic planted autumn,

onion sets and shallots planted over the last month,

parsnips sown directly the last w/e in feb under clear polythene

broad beans - both overwintered and sown last weekend

potatoes - maincrop and salad planted last weekend

In the unheated greenhouse:-

Rootrainer tray containing brussels sprouts, summer cabbage, calabrese and (non-existent yet) purple globe artichokes

On a sunny windowsill at home:-

baby tomato plants in a Rootrainer tray

This is pretty well exactly the same as us except we've also got two rows of carrots in a very raised bed...well, box really, interspersed with radish and we've got lettuce, beet, radish and something else...can't remember...coming up in the cold-frame and some leeks and onion seedlings hardening off in the other cold frame...and the artichokes seem to have just started.

Doesn't look like the snow will reach us tomorrow...but I'll be fleecing the plot a bit just to keep it warm. It's south facing and very protected from the wind by a huge stand of cypress at the north end.

2nd earlies will go in in a couple of weeks then it will be nothing much going in until tomatoes, runners beans and sweet peas much later in the spring.

Fingers crossed.

 

[Ann]

I've got my tomato seedlings in pots on the window sill together with some herbs I have sown and shallots in the ground.  Only half of my peas have germinated so I will need to sow more.

I have noticed that some are starting beetroot off inside, I was going to put mine straight in the ground when the weather warned up now I am confused  :?

[ziggywigs]

It's tempting to plant early and if you get away with it then Bingo your ahead but conversely you can actually put yourself back if your plants are going great guns and then a cold snap hits.

Personally i tend to be a bit on the late side as plants tend to catch up to be honest if conditions are favourable.

That said it's tempting if the weather seems nice and your itching to get going.

[clive f]

WISE  WORD'S Ziggywigg's

[mandycharlie]

Thanks for all your replies,  Its been very useful to me.  I seem to be on the right track (ish)

[Dan]

Ahhh found this thread again thought i had lost it.
Ok so far i have sown in the conservatory

Hispi cabbage
organic leeks ( cant remember name)
french marigolds

i also bought some ready done plants
purple sprouting brocolli (when can these go in ground?)
musselborough leeks ( which i think need potting up?)
and got given some cabbage plants ( which are being potted up tomorrow)

I have moved my raspberry canes and will be posting and wiring tomorrow ( sunday)

i also bought and planted a Victoria rhubarb plant which is looking well.,

and tommorow is my last chance i think to get my onion sets in the ground ( stuttgart and red baron)

I think thats it so far?

[Salkeela]

Planted out my onions today.  
(Sown early Jan. Planted out into a cardboard & compost bed permaculture sytle bed..  I laid 2 sheets of newsprint over the bed - to keep down germinating weed seedlings - weighted down with sand & soaked before planting.  Then punctured a hole through sand/newsprint/compost/cardboard to the soil.  Back filled with the potting compost & put the seedling in.  I'll let you know if it cuts down on hoeing!)

[DD.]

i also bought some ready done plants
purple sprouting brocolli (when can these go in ground?)

Crikey, they're early. I won't be even sowing mine for another month or so, with a view to June/July planting. Are the plants in plugs/pot/ or uprooted?

and tommorow is my last chance i think to get my onion sets in the ground ( stuttgart and red baron)

Where did you get that one from?? Mine aren't in, neither are those of the others down my site. No one is panicing yet!

[WG.]

I laid 2 sheets of newsprint over the bed - to keep down germinating weed seedlings - weighted down with sand & soaked before planting.  Then punctured a hole through sand/newsprint/compost/cardboard to the soil.  Back filled with the potting compost & put the seedling in.  I'll let you know if it cuts down on hoeing!)

Gives you something to read while you're planting onions ...

[Dan]

i also bought some ready done plants
purple sprouting brocolli (when can these go in ground?)

Crikey, they're early. I won't be even sowing mine for another month or so, with a view to June/July planting. Are the plants in plugs/pot/ or uprooted?

and tommorow is my last chance i think to get my onion sets in the ground ( stuttgart and red baron)

Where did you get that one from?? Mine aren't in, neither are those of the others down my site. No one is panicing yet!

Oh really lol? i bought the purple sprouting plants from our college garden centre ( broadview garden centre at hadlow college) they are in....erm...like the plastic seperate pot tray thing with a handle attached...

are they a waste of time then?....i am very south

Oh and mum is on at me about my onions and gardeners world said its your last chance now?

[muntjac]

harden the  brocoli off in the yard for a few days .plant and protect  and they will come in early is all sow some more end next month to carry ya over winter and next spring /............ * off gardeners world they are talking generallly ..... they dont allow for the parts of the country being different in weather conditions

[Dan]

Ok thanks munty i have been hardening the broccolli off all week ( and some cabbage plants i also bought) so i will get them in ASAP...blimey...they will be the FIRST things ever in my lovely first time vegetable patch ....oh...except a rhubarb plant i bought and my raspberry canes....

Tried to get my onions in on sunday but it was very wet ( quite clay soil) i got half in...got the hump...dug them all out again...im having real trouble getting the soil from large wet clumps to small rakeable peds...when things have to go in at certain depths etc its impossible unless the soil level is roughly level and not all in big bits?...
I hope if it DOESNT rain tonight i may be able to rake it tommorow as its drid in the sun for a couple fo days and get the blooming onions sets in at last?

[Jake]

I always start way early. I always have backup seedlings on the go though. I always lose quite a bit but something always survives. Last year it was florence fennel that I started off in Feb and was eating at the end of april.

Right now I've got some raddishes in, some carrots sown under a clotch thing, peas which seem ok and broad beans.

I sowed some gherkins in peat pots and am going to grow them in a trough but not sure, was a bit of an impulse buy.

Growing strawberries from seed too this year and they have germinated and are very tiny indeed.

Beetroot is indoors and needs to go out soon so will be planting out at weekend.

Globe artichokes in pots and loads of brassicas in pots too. The brassicas are very leggy so as I have just read, will be re potting these.

Thats it I think.

[Dan]

Yes all my brassicas ( in trays/pots/modules) seem very leggy? im a bit worried about them all but ill stick em in deep up to the bottom leaves and pray !

[DD.]

And the moral of the story from reading a lot of these posts and problems with leggy plants........

DON'T SOW TOO EARLY!!!

Jake - also trying gherkins this year as an experiment can't stand them myself, but daughter eats them by the bucket full. Won't be sowing until mid April though.