Window Boxes - too early to plant?

[Earlybird]

When can I plant window boxes without being fearful of frost killing everything? I'm in London, and the recent bright/warm days have caused me to wonder when I can safely dig up the weeds I've been 'cultivating' all winter and replace them with something bright and blooming...can someone more green-fingered than me please advise?

hi early. if it's bedding plants you're after (which I think you mean) it is still a bit early. i'd wait till April, even in the balmy south as frost could still strike! no excuse not to get weeding though! perhaps you could invest in some flowering shrubs for the years to come? also there are el cheapo packs of bedding plant type seeds eg calendula, poppies, nigella, some of which can be chucked in the ground the previous september for a slightly earlier show. these are fun for the kids too

if you are desperate you could plant up some pansies, violas or primulas/primroses - there are lots of cheap multipacks of these around at the moment - then later on chuck them on a compost heap and replace them with summer stuff

Thanks for suggestions ladies. Yes, I want to look at my windows and see evidence of spring, rather than the remnants of winter. But, think I will wait about a month as in 10 days we're due to go away for the Easter break. Just feel impatient to see something blooming now that it's been a bit warm/sunny.

I am in London too and planted my window boxes over a month ago as we were selling our flat and I wanted to pretty everything up. I planted primroses and they have been fine. Actually the day after I planted them the were got covered in snow but they haven't been affected at all. They were just a cheapy multi pack from B&Q!