Started seed sowing yet?

[Kernowgal]

I have, and in just three days I've already had the following germinate:

Early peas
Shallots
Bidens
Physostegia

No sign of the sweet peas yet but I'm possibly being a bit impatient

[Rhubarbgarden]

Not yet but I'm tempted.

[dizhin79]

sorted my seeds out into plant this week, don't plant yet and plant end of month, also got my seed potatoes chitting on the dining table now

[Kernowgal]

Oops, went away for the weekend, left the seedlings on the heat (doh) and came back to five-inch sweet peas. May have to re-sow...

[Mirage]

Yes,with all the flooding,veg prices are going to be sky high this year.I have been sorting out my poly tunnel and planted Rocket spuds,Salad,celeriac,carrots,spring onions,watercress,rocket,10 week stocks,broad beans,and greyhound cabbage.

I might spend the day in there tomorrow and sow some more stuff as it isn't going to be fit to do anything outdoors.

[lels99]

Not yet, will anything grow outside given how wet it is? The garden is like a swamp from all this rain.

[Kernowgal]

Mirage I'm dead jealous of your polytunnel. I have a small windowsill on which to try to grow everything for my allotment.

I'm doing everything inside at the moment then will start sowing direct maybe towards end of March when hopefully it'll have stopped raining.

[Rhubarbgarden]

Kernowgal I will be doing it windowsill style too this year. I cleared a space in the utility room today so next time I get chance I'm going to start sowing.

[HazeltheMcWitch]

Ooh, Mirage - what cress do you grow, and would you recommend it?

[Mirage]

Hazel I'll check the packet tomorrow,it is a type specially bred for container planting and I've never grown it before.I love peppery salad.

I love my tunnel Kernowgal,it is 50ft by 20ft and cost me £50 10 years ago.I'd seen a planning permission form stuck outside a local nursery and waited until it had been granted,then casually dropped in asking if they wanted to sell any tunnels.I think they were just happy to have someone take it away.Me and my dad took it down and put it up on my dad's farm,and my ponies live next to it and supply endless muck.

[HazeltheMcWitch]

Ooh, thanks Mirage - that would be lovely.
Can you tell I am also a fan of peppery salad?

[Mirage]

It is called 'Aqua' and the supplier is Country Value.I bought them in a branch of Boyes and I think they were 79p a packet.If you can't find them locally,pm me and I'll post you a packet.

I like spicy stuff,Thompson and Morgan have started selling an extra peppery Rocket,which I've ordered.

[aircooled]

Does anyone do the Biodynamic/sowing by the moon thing? Sounds a bit weird but have you noticed how sometimes a batch of seed, given the same tender loving care as a previous one, just doesn't germinate? We all acknowledge that the moon can influence tides - maybe it can affect growing things too. A bit sceptical about the 'two hour time slot when it's best to harvest your carrots' stuff but as a closet hippy I'm happy to try it.

[dizhin79]

don't do it myself aircooled but if you ever get the chance to visit garden organic at Ryton, used to be the henry doubleday foundation, they have a set of display organic gardens and 1 of those usually a full on biodynamic garden. When I visited it was the most prolific, healthy abs really impressive garden there, must be something in all that crazy shit!

[HazeltheMcWitch]

Thanks, Mirage - you are very kind indeed. I shall look out for Aqua. NB I've also ordered the T&M extra-spicy rocket...!

[Mirage]

I'm getting impatient,I want my seed order to arrive! I've fired up the propagator today and sown tomatoes,peppers,aubergines and sweetpeas.

aircooled I've never tried sowing by the moon,but have noted that it is a full moon tonight,so will be interested to see if the stuff I put in today does better than the other sowings.

[BitWorriedNow]

That is a good point veg prices will be through the roof this year.

I am going to plant outside, when is the right time to plant straight into the soil?

[HumphreyCobbler]

I can't sow on windowsills, the house is too dark at this time of year and none of the windows are southfacing

The greenhouse is looking a bit worse for wear after the storms and DH has bloody filled it up with pots of agapanthus and box cuttings. I have put some sweet peas in and i have broad beans overwintering in there.

[BitWorriedNow]

My cat will have the soil kicked all over the place if I plant inside.

[MoreBeta]

My garden is black silt as it is on the edge of a large river flood plain - above the current floods but impossible to walk on.

It digs well and should grow things being quite fertile by the look of things but I haven't been in the house a whole year yet. Luckily planted hundreds of bulbs in Autumn so will have a bit of colour soon but was planning to plant seeds as soon as it dries up. Was also going to move some shrubs, might risk that while soil is wet.

[Mirage]

Bitworried It depends on the seed type as to when it can be sown outdoors.Most are March/April,but it depends on the weather-seeds don't know what month it is.Old farmers used to test the soil by sitting on it with a bare backside,and if it was warm enough,they'd sow.You can do the same thing by sticking your finger in the soil. Don't sow when it is too wet or they'll rot.

[upyourninja]

I sowed seeds in containers in the greenhouse last weekend and they've already germinated - my first spring with the greenhouse! We have clay soil and it's crazy wet so we can't dig anything at the moment, so the veg beds will have to wait.

We're going to grow tomatoes, peppers, peas, beans, corn, salad, beetroot, and other bits and pieces this year. I can't wait to get going but I think it's too wet and we're still due a cold snap.

[didireallysaythat]

My grandfather always used to check the soil temp was warm enough by trying radishes - cheap seed and quick germinators. Not sure if it a particular variety but this would be decades ago so I'm assuming it was a bog standard radish - just a short drill of 6 inches or so.

[Rhubarbgarden]

Hmm. Have just been cogitating in the utility room. I think it's too dark in there. Other options are:

kitchen windowsill: west facing, above a radiator, accessible to little fingers and cats.

Attic: south facing, unheated, limited space, cats and children rarely up there. But a trek up to the top of the house.

Hmm.

[bettythebuilder]

My daughter got a heated propagator for Christmas (she asked for it, honest!) so I'm hoping we can get some seeds planted soon using that- first time using one for both of us, so it may be a bit experimental!

I have an unheated greenhouse, but up here in North Yorkshire I don't think it would be warm enough for seeds to germinate at the moment- I think I planted things late last year due to all the snow and cold, although can't remember when (should keep records!)

Good point about veg prices, I may try to persuade dd to try a few veg seeds in her propagator- she's keen to grow lots of pretty flowers :)

[BitWorriedNow]

I just bought a rectangular deep decorative pot, I plan to put some compost into it. I am going to put it by the kitchen door so I can grow herbs in. I assume the same rules go for this as the outside soil temperature?