Kitchen Garden Forum

Called in at my allotment after a 10 days holiday in the Lakes to find that all the early sowings/plantings are flying along.

I am an unpatient gardener who likes to get very early veg crops - some years I win (2001 & 2003)some times I loose(2005 & 2006.

This year I have tried to push the boundaries a bit more than usual to see if "Global Warming" has reached the NE of England

As late December was unseasonably mild I took a chance and sowed some radishes (Rougette from T&M)direct into the soil under a cold frame.

I sowed some Kelvedon Wonder and Fortune peas indoors in Mid Jan and planted them out under a plastic "greenhouse" later the same month.

Red Duke of York & Maris Bard potatoes were also planted at the end of Jan (unchitted)and covered with a clear poly sheet.

To my surprise I found the Rougette radishes had swelled to 20mm diameter, the peas are in full flower (some even have a few small pods forming)and the potatoes plants are 6" tall and thriving.

Has anyone else had similar good luck with early sowings ?

Regards,

Andy

Well done Andy I think as long as you are prepared to take the risk of losing the seed and going again, it is a worthwhile experiment, will be interesting to know about your harvest.

Compo

Dear Andy, i was a bit late getting my stuff in this year with the wet weather we had earlier.
Stuff is starting to move now, and my parsnips are coming up like cress.

But i think i might go to the Lakes next year and see if this helps my crops.

We're very lucky here in the south, and this winter has been very mild. We're all keen to get things planted out down here, and it's quite competitive to see who can get their spuds in first, whose runners get planted out earliest, etc! Bearing in mind I have reserves in the greenhouse, I've already planted out, under big bottles, my squashes and courgettes (at the weekend) and my runners and outdoor tomatoes (yesterday). This weekend, all being well, I will be planting out my sweetcorn and the first of my French beans.

Angi - you're braver than me! I've got loads of big beautiful tom plants to go out, but the weather forecast I looked at for Bournemouth (metcheck.com) showed it possibly dropping to 2C, so I chickened out till next week! Although my garden is very sheltered, the allotment is very exposed and I didn't want to risk it. That said, everything else is growing like mad and I've planted out some florence fennel from modules.
Vivien

Just a timely warning: 25 years ago, on 23, 24 and 25 April 1982, our village at the southern end of the Yorkshire Dales was snowed in with drifts blocking the narrow roads between dry stone walls. My husband John was first to get through with our Landrover on the morning of 25th and the wind blew the drifts across behind him again. And the week before, we had enjoyed lovely spring weather!

I am not putting anything remotely touchy outside yet!

Last year was El Nino, so the remarkably mild weather we've been having can be attributed to that. I sowed a litle too early, but the toms, aubergines, peppers and celeriac seedlings have been doing OK in an unheated greenhouse. I protect them overnight with bubble-wrap in case it gets a little parky on a cold night.

mike

can anyone explain to me in short what is el nino (winds?). does it follow a cyclic pattern? where does it take place?

http://www.elnino.noaa.gov/
should keep you busy for hours.

Alan