[TheSpartacat]

It's a little early to have started them, if we get a late cold snap, or the freak frosts of last year.
But if we get a warm period in Apr/May like we have in some years, you'll be happily harvesting earlier than the rest of us! Who can predict? If you sow a few more in a couple of weeks, you'll have all the bases covered!
 
Do you have the room to keep them indoors if the weather dicktates it? I know people who grow tomatoes indoors every year and they do really well, and they start them early, and do the tin foil trick in the wintery months and give them a nice roomy pot and lots of TLC. They don't have a conservatory, just windows.

i too find it confusing, a lot of gardening books don't specify that winter sowing is for plants grown on in heated greenhouse, and not unheated ones.

Either way, you've done really, really well to have them germinate and nicely reach potting on stage with the lack of light in Jan!!

[VirginVegGrower]

Thanks for your comments PA & VVG.

We have seen so so so many people on here over the years who come on here, ask for advice - particularly about sowing dates, cheerfully disregard it, and then get immensely disappointed two months later when their plants are triffids and can't go outdoors for another two months.  The enthusiasm very quickly wanes and advice is meant only to prevent people from that massive drop.

Anyone should feel free to try anything, but those of us who have already made the mistakes would be remiss not to alert people to the consequences of what they are proposing - especially when they have particularly come on here seeking advice.

This is one of the friendliest forums around and we all spend hours of our own time on here trying to keep it that way and to advise newcomers.  We don't do it to belittle people and it sometimes hurts to be accused of ganging up or doing just that.

You could never be accused of being brutal and your advice is proffered in a worldly wise way that does not cause ire or angst, but there are others who see only their own opinions and I agree can be quite brutal with newbies.
But then I see this all the time even on the allotments.
A woman who has the first allotment and really knows her stuff is always harangued by the oldest member of the site who tells her how to dig, etc. She ignores him and it works a treat. Doesn't stop him though.

[Jamie Butterworth]

I completley agree that it is way too early to sow toms, but what i dont understand is why the seed packets then tell you to start them off from january onwards, this doesnt seem likegood advice to put on the seed packet as it will just confuse growers

[VirginVegGrower]

I completley agree that it is way too early to sow toms, but what i dont understand is why the seed packets then tell you to start them off from january onwards, this doesnt seem likegood advice to put on the seed packet as it will just confuse growers

I agree wholeheartedly. There was an interesting article I clipped out of a weekend newspaper stating it was a vine time to sow. However, it did suggest seeds grown this week should produce plants big enough for your greenhouse by late March. In cold areas it recommends sowing late February for greenhouse plants. When it comes to sowing for outdoor plants it states sow indoors in March and move plants out in mid to late May.
That is according to them and should not in any way "dictate" what is deemed correct for an individual.

[pink aubergine]

I do think that some contributors could be more thoughtful with the tone in which they answer some questions. There have been a number of people already discouraged from posting questions on the forum by the answers they have received. It would be a great pity if people were discouraged from asking questions about their problems for fear of looking stupid.

[JayG]

Please remember that the mods are unpaid volunteers who have the unenviable task of trying to decide when any given thread is getting out of hand (usually because it's unnecessarily aggressive or political!)

The rest of the time we offer our advice (and accept other peoples' advice) in good faith and with (sometimes debatable!) good humour in the hope it will benefit others who enjoy and want to learn more about our hobby.

Despite suggestions to the contrary the vast majority of threads on this forum do and always have provided a free exchange of views, and of course every guest and member has the absolute right to agree or disagree with the opinions submitted.

[DD.]

I do think that some contributors could be more thoughtful with the tone in which they answer some questions. There have been a number of people already discouraged from posting questions on the forum by the answers they have received. It would be a great pity if people were discouraged from asking questions about their problems for fear of looking stupid.

Would be nice to know who these people are (via PM of course) so that we can set the record straight. Could you tell us who they are please?

[shedsue]

I sown everything too early last year and yep it went leggy...BUT I planted and had great crops..oo yea......I stopped myself from sowing veggies too early this year by sowing flowers   still have some veggies in though

[Thrift]

I think sowing times vary enormously depending on your location. You just have to use a bit of common sense. I am in the hills about 600ft up so know the rules for this location when using an unheated tunnel i.e. sow in April for quick germination and strong plants. I'm sure Cornwall, for instance, in a lowland, sheltered position would be weeks ahead. 

[pottyaboutgrowing]

 :blink:Oooops I have just placed a similar Q myself on this subject.. I got my lotty last year and had a very good crop. But in my eagerness to get going I was told I planted way too early. Yet I'm only following instructions on packs.. so  I 'm still confused.. Is there a time or date for eg that it would be too late to start things like toms, peppers etc basically can I start them now??

[mumofstig]

:blink:Oooops I have just placed a similar Q myself on this subject.. I got my lotty last year and had a very good crop. But in my eagerness to get going I was told I planted way too early.

and you have a nice answer on your own thread.
(I would merge the 2 threads but it would be a bit confusing now )

[TheSpartacat]

:blink:Oooops I have just placed a similar Q myself on this subject.. I got my lotty last year and had a very good crop. But in my eagerness to get going I was told I planted way too early. Yet I'm only following instructions on packs.. so  I 'm still confused.. Is there a time or date for eg that it would be too late to start things like toms, peppers etc basically can I start them now??

Those packets are confusing, it's not just you, so don't worry! They usually do not specify at what times you sow for heated greenhouse, unheated, or outdoors. It's extra confusing when books written by the experts advise you to pay attention to the backs of seed packets!!
Never fear, we're all here so you can learn from our mistakes... and we do all make em, even the apparent experts!
I find the book "The Vegetable and Herb Expert" by DG Hessayon to be quite specific on sowing times for just about everything, if thats any help? It's also a really good starter book if you're not experienced with the medley of pests that can eat your crops!

[Kristen]

Those packets are confusing, it's not just you, so don't worry! They usually do not specify at what times you sow for heated greenhouse, unheated, or outdoors. It's extra confusing when books written by the experts advise you to pay attention to the backs of seed packets!!

I've seen instructions on back of seed packets vary wildly for the same variety from two different seed companies which doesn't help either.

[Aunt Sally]

...and southerners can plant at least two weeks before northerners.

[TheSpartacat]

I've seen instructions on back of seed packets vary wildly for the same variety from two different seed companies which doesn't help either.

Oh gosh yes!!
My favourite is "Sow in early Spring"
Umm, that is so open to interpretation! Do you go by the calendar, or the weather?
And if you do go by the calendar, which interpretation of Spring?

It might amaze people to know that, certainly in Ireland, Winter is often considered Nov, Dec, Jan... and Spring is consider Feb, Mar, Apr and so on. This was what i was taught as a little 'un learning about Seasons for the first time. Though it's become more confused these days Ireland is influenced by the UK. (books, tv etc....)

The perspective of the Seasons arose from the idea the shortest day of the year should be the middle date of Winter...
and the longest day of of the year is the middle day of the Summer and so on with the other solstices.... which makes a kind of logic, as to view it that way means May June July gets the most daylight hours.
The introduction of the Roman calendar meant things got bumped forward to accommodate the starts of months.
 
Here's a web link to an article... apparently theres never been any consensus worldwide on the matter:
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/161/is-it-true-summer-in-ireland-starts-may-1

Weird huh? So thats why those "sow in Mid Spring" instructions always have me scratching my head
I presume it was once the same in the UK... May day festival was about heralding the start of Summer....