Kitchen Garden Forum

not sown a single seed yet this year. Not quite sure what I'm waiting for to be honest!

Maybe for the weather to be a little more pleasant....
It will be at least two weeks for the soil outdoors to warm up, before it's worth planting out anything.

Agree. I’ll have to avoid the temptation of rushing out to sow on the first fine day we have now, which I‘ve often done in the past, suffering a notable lack of germination success as a result).

All the sweet and chilli peppers are pricked out and the tomatoes sown - now just waiting for the mini 'beast from the east' over the weekend. It's certainly been unpleasantly raw today with a nasty easterly wind.

Nice to get a crop growing at last. Mangetout Peas Delikett awaiting sticks in the polytunnel.



A few other things are doing OK in there. Eating Autumn sown Rocket and Cress for salads but over Winter Lettuce are very poor despite growing Winter hardy varieties. Good Chard and Beetroot too. There are two cloches in there; one with a variety of stuff Coriander, Rocket, Cress, Lettuce, Radish, Carrots just getting going and the other with 12 Rocket Potatoes with the first one just showing. Peppers, Tomatoes and Aubergines coming along nicely in the propagator. Greenhouse has lots of Sweet Peas, Onions and Shallots from seed, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Calabrese, Cucumber and a few other bits and pieces and several trays of seeds just sown.

Lovely to actually see some things growing this year, Geoff.....i have some Cauli, cabbage and beetroot seedlings, that are looking quite healthy in the greenhouse.

Definitely encouraging to see some fresh greenery growing. I fear with this weekend’s snow and icy winds setback it will be a while before we see many similar sights outdoors.I suspect it will be a while yet before the soil now warms up sufficiently to risk trying to sow anything

Looks great, Geoff, almost like spring! Three of our fellow allotmenteers have polytunnels but I don't think they have as much growing as you yet! Beetroot, salad leaves are just emerging in the greenhouse and I will sow some summer brassicas this week and plant the first early potatoes in pots in the greenhouse.
The problem the last few days has been the horrendous easterly wind which piled up the snow in odd places. Our back door had about 4' of snow against it yesterday morning and the greenhouse heater (the thermostat is set at 10C) never switched off all day. Luckily, today's sunshine pushed the temperature up considerably higher but the wind was still vicious. Tonight the wind has turned to NW and veering to W, so it should be pleasanter tomorrow.

Was out bird watching today, 2 degrees and a NE wind straight from Scandinavia, no point thinking about gardens yet. Mt chillies are growing, once they are out of the propagator I will sow my tomatoes.

What a change in the weather - nothing 'tropical' yet, but the wind has turned to the NW, is much milder and the sun shone most of the day. Spring must be on its way, and so it should be, considering we are now at the equilux state ......

We have a frosty start today, but looks promising

White everywhere with frost first thing, but now lovely sunshine and the birds are all singing.....maybe nearly time to start a Early Spring Bits and Bobs......I bet Monika Is ready and waiting for it...

Straight into Summer this weekend!

Whoa, whoa - the long term forecast says we might have a white Easter and it won't warm up until well into April .......

It must be very upsetting for any nurserymen or garden centres when there is a lot of spring stock which needs careful looking after and no customer dares to buy it yet.

I've heard so many people talk about that Monika, that I checked on met check which is long range forecast & not too bad with reliability. The showed Good Friday & Easter Monday with lower temps & that Sat & Sun a bit warmer but no snow. But I am in the tropical end of England so it may be different if you put your post code in.