Really silly question - are we still in mid-spring from a sowing seeds POV?

[OliviaMMumsnet]

Am gardening novice and trying to grow nice thing in my newly landscaped garden.
am in SE and obviously with snow earlier in the month the weather has been a bit FUBARed - do you think I am too late to sow seeds that say mid-spring?
TIA

[QuintessentialOHara]

I was wondering the same, so I will keep you company here waiting for some gurus to show!

[funnyperson]

Haha there are a few proper gardening gurus on here like cutteduppear but everybody else is an amateur!
Monty Don says sow outside when the soil stops feeling cold to touch. Everyone seems to think spring is at least 2 weeks behind this year. That said, Monty sowed radishes outside on this weeks Gardeners World programme, so I dont think it is too late to sow outside.
I've not been brave enough with my seeds to sow outside this year yet, and have germinated them indoors, then potted on and some are hardening off in a sunny spot. Other mners have cold frames and greenhouses and the RHS seems to think this is the way to go for future years due to climate change.
It must be OK to sow outside now as we are getting some warm weather and some rain in the South. The RHS wildflower seeds went in last week for gardening week.

[ComeIntoTheGardenMaud]

Well, no less a person than Monty Don - can we invite him in for a web chat please Olivia - has been saying that everything is 3 weeks behind in the garden this year, so I think it's still mid-spring in seed-sowing terms. And someone in last week's Telegraph gardening bit was suggesting that late April was the time to sow.

[ComeIntoTheGardenMaud]

::waves to funnyperson::

[funnyperson]

The thing is if Monty is invited in for a webchat I will go all tongue tied and embarrassed and giggly and that will not be good for my image. However it would be wonderful to be able to ask him serious questions about sowing seeds and climate change and front gardens and the influence of his wife and dog on his gardening.

[funnyperson]

::waves back to kindred spirit!::

[LaurieFairyCake]

We're a month behind so definitely not too late.

I'm also in the south east and I haven't yet done my direct sowing of sweet peas yet. I've got sweet pea plants to go in but I always do some direct sowing too.

I've also still got my Sarah Raven cottage garden seeds to sow and will be doing them tomorrow.

[funnyperson]

laurie when are you going to plant your sweet peas in? I have been wondering whether it is too early to plant mine out? The nights are still quite cold.

[ComeIntoTheGardenMaud]

I am sure we would all be very sensible and horticultural while talking to Monty, funnyperson, especially as we could hone our well-modulated questions and edit out the giggles before hitting 'post'. I'd also like to make a bid for inviting in Carol Klein.

[funnyperson]

True, Maud very true, we would be sensibility personified. We would show that we take gardening seriously.

[LaurieFairyCake]

funny - I'm probably going to put the seeds in when it's not lower than 4 degrees at night- hopefully next week?

I've already hardened off the sweet pea plants and they're going in when I get round to it. Around the same time likely.

I've had an email from rocket gardens in Cornwall where I'm getting my beetroot and courgette plants from and they're a month behind so they won't be going in the ground til near the end of May which is pretty late.

[funnyperson]

A month behind! That fits actually.

If everything goes in the ground late then will the flowers and veg have enough time to grow before the Autumn comes?

[dothraki]

I have only one thing to say to you Olivia Love and peas

[LaurieFairyCake]

They'll only grow if we get some proper heat.

If we get the rain from last year and the cold we've had this year - we are fucked

If we get some good sun they yes , going in middle/end May is still enough time.

[Rhubarbgarden]

I second the vote for Carol Klein! She is God.

I think I'm going to sow some hardy annuals with dd today. But we are still getting frosts overnight so it's a bit of a risk tbh.

[purplewithred]

Hardy annuals will be fine with frost - that's what hardy means. But they may just sit there and sulk rather than germinate.

I must say, for the time of year my garden is looking incredibly neat and tidy. Having everything delayed a month means I've actually had time to clear up before this year's growth took over.

[MrsHoarder]

If you have the seeds, chuck them on the ground and water. Something should grow...

I have lots of seedlings from this tactic, never succeed at the "proper" plant in trays, harden up, plant out method.

[funnyperson]

I've only ever really had success with broadcasting seed when it is grass.

Monty and Carol are both divine.

[comeonbishbosh]

I'm always fashionably late when it comes to sowing seeds due to general life disorganisation. I'm thrilled that this year I'm sensibly fashionably late.