[thecakebaker]

Who has started there seeds off for 2011 either on the window sill in the house or in the greenhouse if it is heated.

[DD.]

Please no.

Apart from things like onions, there'll be tears before bedtime.

I've been on this forum for 4 1/2 years and heard too many sad tales of people starting way too early. Unless you really know what you're doing -don't be tempted.

Remember - it's not just warmth seeds need, it's light also. At this time of year light intensity is low and the days short.

[thecakebaker]

I have been growing seed this way for some years now I have my greenhouse heated and also proper lighting.  I start 1000’s of flower seeds this way from around November time in plug trays.

I also have a friend that grows alot of stuff in the same way.

[DD.]

I have been growing seed this way for some years now I have my greenhouse heated and also proper lighting. 

That is much, much different to a window sill. May have helped if you stated that you had these facilities in your original post.

What you are doing is tantamount to professional growing and well beyond the facilities and capabilities of the members on here.

Had these facts not come out, there could have been a lot of disappointed newcomers out there.

[JayG]

Please please remember that for most of us the main outdoor growing season for tender crops is really only from late May to the end of September. A greenhouse or similar can extend the useful growing season by about a month at each end of that; beyond that you are talking about either growing indoors or providing expensive additional heating and even possibly lighting in your greenhouse.

Obviously not all crops are that tender; as DD says don't take big risks which will lead to disappointment at worst, or at best, a lot of extra work for very little extra reward.

[Zippy]

You mention Onions DD. What about getting an early start on Leeks? My leeks were still like needles when I planted out this year (soon filled out) so I was thinking of sowing some now in a deep tray and some later to see if there is a difference.

[thecakebaker]

my friend grows a lot of veg from now in a heated greenhouse and one of them is leeks.

[DD.]

You mention Onions DD. What about getting an early start on Leeks? My leeks were still like needles when I planted out this year (soon filled out) so I was thinking of sowing some now in a deep tray and some later to see if there is a difference.

To be honest, I've never tried it, I always sow in March, (as you know - in cat litter trays). But as they are of the same family I don't see why not.

Comments from others who sow earlier would be interesting and so would the results of your trial if you do it, Zippy.

I'm always mindful of the words of my Grandfather, who was a professional gardener. If things were behind, he'd always say "Don't worry boy, things will catch up" - just as your leeks did.

[solway cropper]

I must add my words of caution here as well. Last January I tried an early sowing of toms, cukes and peppers on what I thought was a warm windowsill. I lost the lot.

March is early enough for most things up here although I do start off some broad beans in containers in the greenhouse in Feb. if it's not too cold.

Now, If I could afford to heat the greenhouse I'd probably spend the money on going to Spain over winter.

[thecakebaker]

It normally costs me around £55 to buy a 47kg gas tank which lasts nearly 2 seasons but saying that this year as the weather is so bad it will probably only last this season.

[andy135]

It normally costs me around £55 to buy a 47kg gas tank which lasts nearly 2 seasons but saying that this year as the weather is so bad it will probably only last this season.

Which gas htr dp you have?

[Babstreefern]

My first seeds that I start off are onions, which I will be doing this week.  Then leeks next month, and so and so forth.  What I do is go through my seed packets, and put them on my calendar on the computer, with a reminder that pops up to start them off.  I always set them on a Friday evening, so I plant them on the Saturday and/or Sunday.  But remember when we were planting last year, we really had a very bad winter, worse than this year.  I remember digging my parsnips last year through the foot of snow, this year, I couldn't because of the solid frozen ground

I put my seed trays in the Conservatory.  Lots of light and heat.  That's the problem with me though, my conservatory is first of all stuffed with a Christmas tree and decorations, and we have our Christmas dinner in there, then it starts getting full of seed trays/pots over the next 4/5 months.

[yorky]

I will be sowing my show leeks on 14th Jan, but if you just want leeks for the kitchen then I wouldnt do it before the middle of march. Like the OP I have got heat and light in my greenhouse. If march sown leeks arent strong plants by early june then there is a cultivation problem and sowing earlier will cause more problems than it will solve.

[Yabba]

I'm hoping to sow my chillis (and onions!) in the next few days ( the chinenses especially, they need a long season), like the OP I also have lights and heating for them ... although they may get a smidge cold because they'll be indoors and we're a tad tight and have jumpers we can wear

We'll also be sparking off a load off dahlia tubers soon, again it's because we have heat and lights ( and we play in competitions ) in the potting shed.

Still won't be sparking off my leeks until at least march, possibly/probably later. The main thing that "killed" them this year was being rootbound whilst waiting for bed space to come free.

¥

[rowlandwells]

DD your grandfather was absolutely rite that was also my farther in laws opinion he never had a greenhouse but could always put veg on the table

although we have two large greenhouses but only one has heating by hot water pipes from  a solid fuel boiler in the potting shed its far to expensive to keep that running 24/7 together with the electricity bill for the extra lighting so we usually start seed sowing around March depending on the weather i only lite the fire when i want to use the potting shed for some jobs i also have a calor heater just for overnights in tthe spring  and turn it off in the daytime as the weather gets a bit warmer

although it is nice to get started early if one can afford to heat the greenhouse but i think most of us start spring seeding

i know Ive said this before many times a good grower should be able to put something on the table all year round as ime sure DD your grandfather did

yes we are all getting itchy feet to get started  but its early days yet