[kari]

2011 will be my first full growing year, I played about abit in 2010, but started too late to do much.

I'm more excited about starting the growing season, than getting Christmas pressies unless of course santa decides to drop a few raised beds down the chimney.

I inherited alot of gardening things, tools, trays & a bag full of seeds, inside I found a packet of Buntons Showstopper onions, which recommend sowing inside late december for exhibition sized onions, not really worried about showing them, but growing monster onions will be great fun.

So today I organised the seed tray, filled with new seed compost & have placed on a warm windowsill, so that the soil is ready for Christmas day.  Then this year I get to start my new Christmas tradition, after lunch is eaten & cleared away, I will pour a nice big glass of wine & sow my onions 

Does anyone else have any grow your own Christmas traditions? 

[Aidy]

Yep, eat the sprouts, snips, beetroot and all the other veg I grew for Christmas day, oh yea like you, drink 
First seed to be sown will be the leeks, but not till late jan/feb. Got me shallots n garlic to go in the ground, not sure when that will be tho, we are having some strange weather here in the tropics, we have some white stuff that has fallen from the sky, only this time its not from the seagulls 

[solway cropper]

Like Aidy the only tradition I've got is enjoying the results of the year with my Christmas dinner.

Don't be too bothered by what it says on seed packets. Just sow when the conditions are right. last Jan. I sowed toms/cukes on what I thought was a warm windowsill and lost the lot. The March sowing thrived. If you leave it a few weeks your onions could just as easily be the same size or bigger.

[Jamie Butterworth]

I will be doing the same as you Kari and starting my onions off on Christmas day, cant wait, although never grown onions from seed so should be fun and new

Ill be growing Kelsae onions though

I might also try starting off my tomatoes on top of the TV where they will get plenty of heat and care, worth a shot

[mumofstig]

I might also try starting off my tomatoes on top of the TV where they will get plenty of heat and care, worth a shot

But can you ensure they will get enough light between Christmas and May Jamie?

[Jamie Butterworth]

My bedrooms in the attic with 2 huge skylights, one points east and one points west so they sun all day long

[mumofstig]

good luck then 

[peapod]

Dont be TOO disappointed if it doesnt work out guys 

[kari]

I wont be disappointed, I will sow more directly into the garden in March anyway, but I figure why not have a bit of fun & give it a go? the compost, trays & propogator are just sitting there doing nothing & I have far too many seeds. Dad has been doing it on Christmas day for years & has great success.

I dont have his green fingers, but I am learning, so I guess we shall see how it goes.

[Jamie Butterworth]

Dont be TOO disappointed if it doesnt work out guys 

Im not holding too much hope for the tomatoes, but most of the exhibitors start there onions seeds off on Christmas day so its worth a shot

[DD.]

Forget the tomatoes. They need light as well as warmth. They're not going to get that at this time of year perched on top of the TV. They'll end up very leggy.

February for me in the window sill & don't forget the aluminium foil!

[Jamie Butterworth]

Forget the tomatoes. They need light as well as warmth. They're not going to get that at this time of year perched on top of the TV. They'll end up very leggy.

February for me in the window sill & don't forget the aluminium foil!

Thanks for the advice DD, would they become leggy even with my east and west facing skylights, my room is flloded with light even in winter?

[fatcat1955]

Damp/wet compost on top of the telly NO NO NO .

[peapod]

You go for it Kari - I dont mean to put a dampener on anyones fun.  Just we hear so much disappointment if seeds sown early die off that I had to offer a small heads up 

[DD.]

Thanks for the advice DD, would they become leggy even with my east and west facing skylights, my room is flloded with light even in winter?

Skylights - I'd say no - the toms would try and get to them ASAP and make them even more leggy. Probably get away with starting onions like that, but I think toms would sooner have light from the side.

Anyway, where would you keep large tom plants before you could get them outside? If you have no greeenhouse, you'd have to home them for 6 months.