[matron]

The problem is that if you are up any later than about 5.30am you may not be aware that there has been a frost  . On the farm next to us they are up at 5.30am for milking and have commented how white it is in the morning but when I am up at 7.30am there is nothing. Also, at 11pm the temperature is still reasonable and seems to drop in the very early hours.
I suppose I am saying just be careful  .

[paintedlady]

   I may be in this category very soon ... and I'll be planting my first batch out in about a week's time with fingers crossed, and sacrifices to whatever weather gods are out there, and a few prayers for good measure.  I didn't think I'd sowed them that early (okay, just a little) but the recent warm spell has really spurred them on a bit too much!

[Trebor]

Don’t worry about it. It is going to go one of two ways and neither are in your control. Either you have got a months head start this year and will have a bumper crop or you will get caught out with a late frost. If you have a back up plan for the late frost then you can’t lose – either you end up with the bumper crop or you plant the back up and get a normal crop. Good luck!

I planted spuds on the 1st of March against advice and now have massive plants, so far so good. (Just as well since I didn’t have a back up plan and was just being a bit over enthusiastic!)

[Babstreefern]

The first major rule to observe is "never trust the weather"

My plot is virtually empty at the moment.  I have my early spuds in, but not yet showing.  Bear in mind that if we have a frost, those with their tops up and growing, will lose them.  Is it really worth it to gamble, after all your hard work? 

I've got lots of stuff in my greenhouses and cold frames ready to plant out.  THey are not distressed as yet (including my sweetcorn grown on root-trainers).

[Trebor]

Depends if you are a plot half full or a plot half empty sort of person. 

[paintedlady]

The first major rule to observe is "never trust the weather"

 Is it really worth it to gamble, after all your hard work? 

For the past 8 years I've been gardening, every year has been different but I'm gradually erring on the sowing and planting slightly earlier.  It is a gamble, but at least there's always time to try again if it goes pear-shaped 

[DD.]

That's funny.

I've been doing it over 40 years and I err more & more on the side of caution!

[DD.]

Don’t worry about it. It is going to go one of two ways and neither are in your control. Either you have got a months head start this year and will have a bumper crop or you will get caught out with a late frost. If you have a back up plan for the late frost then you can’t lose – either you end up with the bumper crop or you plant the back up and get a normal crop. Good luck!

I planted spuds on the 1st of March against advice and now have massive plants, so far so good. (Just as well since I didn’t have a back up plan and was just being a bit over enthusiastic!)

Couple of points.

An early start does not mean a bigger crop, nor will it be as early as the head start you made as the plants do catch up.

I hope for your sake there's no frost or you'll be bitterly disappointed, people are soon forgetting what happened only last season.

[newby]

I have mine in "Ritchie" paper pots , still in my kitchen. the plan is to digg out the potatoes, very forst earlies and drop them in..so I guess that will be later May

[DD.]

May is very early to be lifting spuds.

[Lynne]

My neighbour at the site has a saying about sweetcorn: "You should see it twice in May, once when you plant the seed and once when it grows."

I haven't even sown my seeds yet.

[Trebor]

Couple of points.

An early start does not mean a bigger crop, nor will it be as early as the head start you made as the plants do catch up.

I hope for your sake there's no frost or you'll be bitterly disappointed, people are soon forgetting what happened only last season.

Last years crop of squash was really poor because of a poor/ wet/ short season. In my opinion an extra month in the ground may have improved this. So I am saying if we are lucky and get a good start to the year then take advantage of it with crops that depend on length of season (such as the sweetcorn) if you don’t mind the risk.

I agree that with spuds it is an unnecessary risk as the crop will have ample time to mature anyway so you are just getting a slightly earlier crop and greater risk of losing it. That said I have ‘banked’ some of the head start as already earthed them up once and will be doing so again tomorrow…cue worst frost in history tonight!

[newby]

The first major rule to observe is "never trust the weather"

My plot is virtually empty at the moment.  I have my early spuds in, but not yet showing.  Bear in mind that if we have a frost, those with their tops up and growing, will lose them.  Is it really worth it to gamble, after all your hard work? 

I've got lots of stuff in my greenhouses and cold frames ready to plant out.  THey are not distressed as yet (including my sweetcorn grown on root-trainers).

See with the big potatoe plants, did you earth them up ?

[paintedlady]

Last years crop of squash was really poor because of a poor/ wet/ short season. In my opinion an extra month in the ground may have improved this. So I am saying if we are lucky and get a good start to the year then take advantage of it with crops that depend on length of season (such as the sweetcorn) if you don’t mind the risk.

   this is exactly what I meant ...

[MoreWhisky]

Im just sitting down now thinking about the + and - of setting my sweetcorn of in pots now