[shokkyy]

According to the Met Office, there's an equal probability of unsettled conditions or much colder conditions that week, so it's anybody's guess.

[shoozie]

We were just saying at work today - we're still due a winter  

We have zero started and it'll stay that way til March at the earliest - except to have a bash at some onion seeds maybe next weekend.  We don't have a frost free greenhouse, and don't have much in the way of real light yet in the garden (or the window ledges for that matter).

 Hate to be the damp squib in the thread . But look forward to the results of everyone's trials  

[sunshineband]

But come June shoozie I doubt if you will be 'behind' then

Later sowings in warmer soil usually catch up 

[shoozie]

But come June shoozie I doubt if you will be 'behind' then

Later sowings in warmer soil usually catch up 

We'll definitely catch up sunny - by hook or by crook  .

[sunshineband]

But come June shoozie I doubt if you will be 'behind' then

Later sowings in warmer soil usually catch up 

We'll definitely catch up sunny - by hook or by crook  .

 

So if my broad bean plants disappear, I'll be up to see you then 

[shoozie]

Glad you mentioned the beans sunny - yip, they're in the seed box ...... Think we might need more this year though - in March .....      Definitely going to try the module onion way - Trillium helped me understand that just before The winter festival (oops edit original word) - so, that's the new thing this year (next week)   

[sunshineband]

Glad you mentioned the beans sunny - yip, they're in the seed box ...... Think we might need more this year though - in March .....      Definitely going to try the module onion way - Trillium helped me understand that just before Christmas - so, that's the new thing this year (next week)   

Mine are just showing their little knuckles up through the soil 

[azubah]

You can never tell what will happen. I have seen newbies bring runner beans up to the plot 3 ft tall in 3.5" pots, and thought that they had no chance, especially when it turned frosty a day or two later, but they have ended up getting beans before me. Beginners luck really does work, (but not always)...I would not get away with it. Who dares wins. If you have the time and space.

[Yorkie]

When I've started climbing beans off too early, and they've grown a lot indoors, I invariably find that they twine together, and I break the stems in trying to untwine them.

[sunshineband]

When I've started climbing beans off too early, and they've grown a lot indoors, I invariably find that they twine together, and I break the stems in trying to untwine them.

I can see that might be a hazard 

[jazzbyrd]

I have started off vegetables far too early in the past and lived to regret it.  My first year I started off my tomatoes too early and they grew spindly and leggy and I started them all again in April. Never again! another year I started my climbing beans too early and I had a hell of a job detangling them. Another year I started my squashes too early and they became pot bound and then got off to a bad start once in the ground. Never again. It's far too early for me even too early for me to start  my chillies but will start them in Feb. Maybe if I had a decent grow light . ...but I don't . I had a good crop of tomatoes and chillies even with the later starting dates. Most veggies catch up in the end!

Jazz

[AlaninCarlisle]

Five years ago I built an 8ft x 2ft propagating bench  for the greenhouse complete with soil-warming cable and clear polycarbonate cover. I must have wasted about ten packets of seeds and god knows how much electricity getting an early start in Jan/Feb. Everything germinated OK but grew spindly and weak in the poor light and I had to start all over again in March.

On a similar subject, I was in B&Q this morning and noticed people feverishly grabbing up seed potatoes as if they'll totally disappear in the next few weeks. I think the mindset of these people must be that the supermarkets know best about the correct time to plant stuff. The only thing they  know best is how to relieve us of our cash. There'll be plenty of seed spuds around in March, so let the retailers carry the storage costs until then - they can afford it

[mumofstig]

seed potatoes - I buy mine early to make sure I can get the varieties I want................before they sell out 

There will be seed available later, but I've found to my cost that it may not be what I want I want to grow

[sunshineband]

seed potatoes - I buy mine early to make sure I can get the varieties I want................before they sell out 

There will be seed available later, but I've found to my cost that it may not be what I want I want to grow

I ordered mine on 2nd October.

They arrived yesterday and are now all safely chitting away 

Got 20 more than I ordered too, so that's my daughter sorted as well 

[AlistairMcLennan]

I see a lot of seed being sown very early on this thread. Have you considered what you're going to with them until conditions are suitable for them to go to their final resting place?

Déjà vu ...

We have this problem every year on here - keen new gardeners wanting to get things off to a cracking early start.  They usually only try it once.  There are the hardened veterans who keep trying it and keep failing too.

If you read what is on the seed packet and follow it - with a bit of leeway, earlier in the south; later in the north - you will become a successful gardener instead of a disillusioned ex-gardener.  Then you can try doing things differently and join those hardened veterans I mentioned  

Aunt Sally, some very good words of wisdom.  I have used this forum for just over a year & the advice is usually always sound. Usually read each day & post if I have a question. This has saved me heart ache last year.

When you first start out, you are so eager.  I have learned to tether myself a little and have created a Veg Plot spreadsheet where I plan everything including what months the seed packet says I should be sowing or planting on. Just so that I do not get carried away & try plant everything at once :-)