[Nozebleed]

So when can we start planting seeds? i've an empty glass house im sure could be put to some use. just not sure where to start. when do things really kick off?

[Sive]

Patience ! I don't remember ever reading a seed packet that suggested January as a suitable time for sowing! I think most say March, though I'm sure someone far better qualified than me could confirm that. I did read you can start sowing onion seed in January...so if that would keep you happy, you could try that !

[ormondsview]

I was just thinking about when to start putting plugs and bulbs into the soil as Thompson and Morgan UK are tempting me with extraordinary deals on fushias and begonias. I'm wintering over my geraniums indoors and am proud to say that I've not let any of them die off for renewed buying next year. I can now start snipping cuttings for more plants to take root. I've asked the suppliers if they will defer shipment until February if I order now. Has anyone experienced success with putting plants into the soil at that time? Fushias are woody stemmed and begonias somewhat hardy. They would winter over in a greenhouse maybe.
As for other kinds of seeds. I'm trying again with acers. If I put them into soil now in the greenhouse, they need 3 months of cold scarification to mimic the seed cycle of trees and shrubs. Using a plastic container or bottle with not too much dampness (else it will crack) as the incubator, I shall see what happens. Last year, the mice and squirrels tore my seed starts up and ate the seeds if they were not properly covered. Plastic jugs work well as containers. Here's a website which tells you how it works.
http://native-wildlife-gardening.com/winter-sowing-in-milk-jugs/

You can also start plants in the greenhouse much earlier if you enclose it in bubblepack as insulation.

[sirpsycho]

I've read that you can still plant garlic bulbs now. Also, you could pot some shallots and keep them in the greenhouse to give them a head start, then replant them into the ground around march.

[Nozebleed]

Hey all...have you started sowing yet? if so..what have you sown and where? I've started anyway!!

here's my list!

All Indoors under Grow Lights:

Tomato's loads of them too many in fact.. VF Roma,Gardeners Delight & Yellow Perfection.
Chives which are looking great.
Sweet Basil also coming along too.
Parsley,Oregano & Dill slowly starting to show.
Sweet Peppers
Leeks (i've sown some outdoors in the greenhouse to see if they'll survive).

Im tempted to start cauliflower and broccolli now! when is the right time to sow pea's for transplanting outside?

[Prendo]

Broad beans and onion sets went down outdoors last weekend. Carrot and beetroot under cloches are also in and colliflower, lettuce, calabrese, parsnips, broccoli are in the cold frame in seed cells and loo-rolls (am a bit dubious about the parsnips!). Peas are in there too, in three foot long sections of guttering.

[Nozebleed]

Really!! you have onion sets in the ground!! im gona get going so!! i wasn't sure when to plant them..could i also plant my shallots now? and you have peas started already..i was going to wait until 2nd week in march before sowing peas..i was worried they grow quick and get tangled around each other...

[Prendo]

Cricky! Don't follow my lead or we'll both be heading for disaster if we get more snow!
It's just that I like living on the edge

[56K Natas]

In the green house I have
Onions on the go with nice shoots coming up from the sets
there is also coriander in there with them as I was told it's good for keeping bugs of them but no sign of that yet. the kids put garlic in pots a few weeks back and that is up as well. My broad beans have just broken through the surface since last saturday, Beets, peas,french beans, radish I'm still waiting on.

In the house I have Toms,sweet pepper, chillies ( a few types) that are all up and in pots, last night I put a new batch of stuff into the pripigator like toms, Mixed Gourds,cucumbers,gerkins,Patisson sunburst what ever that is, Courette and a few more, I'm planting loads as I intend on giving family and friends a few plants to try and get them hooked

[sirpsycho]

Nothing yet! No time yet but i have a new greenhouse to put up first, hopefully this weekend. Ordered some used scaffolding boards to make some raised beds in my allotment. The plan is to make 8 x 4ftx8ft beds in the next few weeks. No planting until mid-march for me...except I might plant some garlic this weekend, hopefully there is still a couple of frosts left to "wake" the garlic up.

[Lius]

sirpsycho,

You are on the same track as me but I'm a bit ahead of you, I'm changing over to 4ft X 8ft raised beds with a soil-less mix this year. My back can't take the digging and weeding any more. I'm going with 12" high beds to have enough depth for spuds, carrots etc.

Today I planted first early potatoes, garlic and red & white onions in the raised bed. Tomorrow I will plant carrot, parsnip and leek seeds. I made a cloche from 1/2" PVC pipes bent into arches and covered in clear poly sheeting. I will cover soil with fleece under the cloche as an extra protection against frost.

I have a 3m X 2m triple glazed south facing window in the kitchen and I have already started trays of broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, herbs and leaf lettuce on the sill which are doing great. These will go out in my 5ft X 5ft LIDL plastic greenhouse in a few weeks to harden off before going into the raised beds.

As you can see I'm going all out to try and beat Mother Nature this year.

[Liz D]

Wow you guys are well organised! I thought I was ahead of the game with most my seeds bought and any extra pots, etc that I need this year. So far nothing yet started but plans for this week are:

thyme
onions
potatoes
a few perennial/annual flowers

[Nozebleed]

im actually way behind!! i should have started cauliflower,cabbage & brocolli at the beginning of feburary for transplanting to the garden. i've learned a great deal already this year regarding sowing times. i have all my peppers and tomato's ready to plant! about a month early..i've been placing them in the greenhouse during the day and bringing them in at night..they're looking really good. had i timed it right i'd have all my cabbage,brocolli and cauliflower now...but live and learn..cucumbers & courgette have just sprouted in the heated propogater and are going under the grow light tomorrow!! going to start sowing carrots on the 19th and put fleece over them.

[56K Natas]

Totally off topic here people but as Liz de mentioned geting extra pots I thought I'd let ye know where I / ye could get 100's free.
Last summer I went to the local recycling center, it's a big enough operation just outside Marcoom town and they had a section where they kept all the pots people were throwing away, We more or less brought the car filled up with rubish and came back full of pot, mostly round pots ranging from 3 inches up to over 12inches, a few window boxes and even some teracota pots. 3 black bags worth in total
It's amazing what people throw away, one bloke was dumping 5 or 6 foot high garden lanterns, never used straight out of the boxes and into the skip. I was to late to get them off him and I couldn't climb down to get them

[Liz D]

what a waste! I'm always keeping my eyes peeled for pots, going to hit a few of the recycling centres this weekend

Anyone had luck finding old terracotta ones? Those seem to be the most difficult to find. And I suppose now with the cold breaking them, even more rare!