Winter is a-coming in

[Colin Miles]

Wrap your veg up warm folks, today is merely the start if www.metcheck.com is to believed. From Sunday onwards we could get some 'real' weather!

[pigletwillie]

it certainly looks a bit grim Colin, I am back on shift from Sunday so will no doubt spend 4 days freezing my nads off, worrying whether or not my broad beans will live to tell the tale.

[Sue]

Hi Collin - just been looking at MetCheck myself and spring seems a long way off all of a sudden.

We've got off lightly so far. Was speaking to 1 of our plant suppliers this week who is based near Bremmen in Germany. They have been unable to lift our order up until now because they have been getting overnight temperatures of minus 6 to 10 and the ground has been so completely frozen it hasn't thawed during the day. Now that is cold!

Guess I'll hold fire on the seed sowing for a bit - Sue

[Tony T.]

It's really frustrating isn't it? Just when you think spring is just around the corner. I'm itching to get out, both in the garden and up the lottie, but there's a real snowstorm going on here in Sandwell, so no chance at the moment. And it looks like next week might be out of the question too. Bah!

[Johnboy]

Being really cheerful, as I look out of the window, it is snowing like mad!!

[Tigger]

Same here.

[Chantal]

It's been snowing here since about 8am but nothing much and not settling. If it's going to snow I wish it would just do it. One big dump of snow for a few days so we can all go ahhh isn't it pretty and the kids can have a snow day and build snowmen (why is it that every time more than two flakes fall all the local radio has on is announcements that the "boiler" has broken down at ***** school so it's closed. Don't they get the things serviced? Or is the teachers who don't go in and this is a good excuse? Sorry, I digress. Anyway, no snow on Metcheck for the CV22 area - glorious sunshine on Saturday and pretty good all next week. Sorry guys...

[richard p]

been snow in with the rain in somerset most of the day. apparently the devon hills have a pretty covering at the moment.

[Anonymous]

Well Colin, it must be being so bloody cheerful that keeps you going!!

The weather forecast for this area is not too bad.

Our plans are, for this Saturday, to go to the Bakewell Farmers' Market, take a diversion to the Chatsworth Farm Shop, and then do another diversion to Hartington to get the ultimate in Stilton cheese. If you have never tasted Stilton from Hartington, you have never tasted 'real' Stilton!!! It is the creamiest, most wonderful blue stilton on this planet!! Anyway, I digress, the weather is going to be perfect for our trip, despite your doom and gloom prognostications, Colin. (fingers crossed!)

valmarg


Fingers crossed!!

valmarg

[lizzie]

It's going to be bloody cold here tomorrow. Just looked on the metcheck thingy and we'll have snow. Bit of a shame cos my son and nephew are going to pony day on Friday. My son is pony mad so he won't miss it.

They've also been sailing twice this week, got hailed on twice and rained on twice. The pair of them will be sprouting flippers soon!!!!!!

Not only that, i'd planned to go the lottie and do a bit. Never mind, i'll stay at home and plant some seeds.

[Chantal]

It's been snowing in the night here, still is actually, but it's only a dusting and it won't last. Good day forecast for tomorrow - yeeeeeha!

[Colin Miles]

My main reason for this post was to warn newcomers to hold fire with sowing, particularly outdoors. I have certainly learnt my lesson regarding sowing too early. With Parsnips, for instance, last year I sowed first in toilet rolls March 25th, but only 2 pots came up and a second sowing was also a complete failure. Ended up sowing a different variety (Gladiator) outdoors May 30th. Germination excellent and a fine crop which we have only just finished. And a few years ago after an exceedingly wet spring I wasn't able to plant my Maris Bard first earlies until May 7th - they were ready just about a week later than usual! And carrots sown too early never germinate.

[pigletwillie]

Colin,

Your right about parsnips, I never sow mine until the end of April or Early May. They suffer less from canker and whilst the crop may be a tiny bit smaller in girth, they are sweeter.

Raised beds allow me to steal a march as I never get boggy soil, but even so, I delay sowing carrots until the end of March.

[Anonymous]

Sorry colin, didn't mean to be nasty with my remark about being so miserable, etc. It's one of old dearly beloved's stock in trade answers when someone is foretelling gloom and doom.

Another of his best sayings is "well, it's not often your right mrs, but you're wrong again". It was meant in a jokey mode.

I suppose what would sound quite funny when spoken, doesn't have quite the same impact when typed.

I do appreciate what you were saying about sowing/planting outdoors. We have some broad bean plants we sowed indoors in modules which are coming along very nicely. They are currently outdoors "hardening off". They would have been planted out in the garden by now if it hadn't been for the snow/frost.

It really is very difficult to contain ones enthusiasm at this time of year. But as you say, everything catches up.

valmarg

[Chantal]

It may not be warm but there's no frost and beautiful sunshine here in Rugby. However,I can hear the wind down the chimney so it could be a day for staying in the greenhouses; but who cares, the SUN IS SHINING which lifts my spirits and makes me bounce around with a big grin on my face.

I only have to whiz out and collect some coal this morning and the day is my own to mess about as I like. So, I'm off to start messing. Talk tonight guys (or if the sun goes in).