Have you started planting anything yet?

[meltedmarsbars]

I today got some soil out of the compost heap and put some Broad Bean in, in pots inside.

What else can I put in this early?

Sweet peas?

I have put in chillis and sweet peppers, I planted peas late last year but will be filling in the gaps over the weekend. I also started off some globe artichokes today.

Lettuces can be grown all year round with some protection.

In the next few weeks you can do brussels sprouts, cabbages and cauliflowers.

I normally use seed compost as I find that home-made is often too strong for the little seedlings.

I've planted Chillis and Peppers (they've gernminated)
I plan to plant broadbeans and sweetpeas this weekend

I'm always desparate to plant at this time of year

I've cleaned out the greenhouse and potting shed in anticipation

Are you planting chillis and peppers indoors? I'm itching to get something growing but can't decide what to start with. I only have patio planters to put stuff in but was going to start everything off inside.

I've planted mine in a heated propgator - but in the past I have started them off in the airing cupboard. They need a bit of heat to germinate, I usually pot them on and keep them in the conservatory (or on a windowsill) until they are a bit bigger.

I'm keen to get started, but last year I began far too early and ended up with lots of really weedy looking plants.

If I'm feeling tough, I'll brave the weather this weekend and sort the garden out ready for sowing and planting.

I'm of your potting shed!

i've planted half-rotted compost!

in the bottom of my bean trench.
it stank

I'm trying not to get carried away, I always plant too early and end up nursing plants on every windowsill for weeks.
I might just browse through some seed catalogues for inspiration instead.

Havoc, I love my potting shed - it is my favourite place in the whole garden.

I don't have a heated propagator but was going to put them in a seed tray with a lid. I can put them somewhere nice and warm or should I just wait until late February or something?

Sorry for questions! I'm a novice gardener and this is my first year with anywhere to grow things. Last year I failed to grow anything from seed so don't want to kill them all again.

In my experience chillis and peppers do best if you can plant them early.
I'd plant them now, they need warmth to germinate so a lidded seed tray in a warm spot is ideal.
In the past I've germinated mine in the airing cupboard, on a rack above the aga and on a windowsill by a radiator.

You do need to be patient with them, I planted mine 10 days ago and so far have a 75% success rate, but I'm keeping them warm in the hope a few more will appear.

My problem is I always assume my seeds will fail and end up with hundreds of seedlings.

When I first started gardening (in my own garden) my dad had to point out that it wasn't compulsary to plant the whole packet of seeds in one go.

I have planted onion seed and will plant chillis and peppers and celeriac soon, but with it being so cold at the moment & having a fairly cold house I was thinking of delaying until early Feb. I still have fruiting pepper plants from last year on my kitchen windowsill. (one just turning red is destined for a salad this weekend).

Thanks PantryBoy I've got lots of nice warm windowsills so will get on with it soon.

Snorkie, I have last years' chilli's still producing on the windowsills. I have found that cutting them back after picking the last summer chilli makes them sprout and flower again.

Yesterday and today I've planted my chilli and sweet peppers, celeriac, red and white cabbage and some basil. Now I've got the bug I'll do some salad leaves tomorrow.

Oh and today I bought my seed potatoes, so I'll start them chitting in egg boxes tomorrow too. Deffo feeling enthused at the moment

Yes, I need to get off here and plant something!

Maybe salad leaves.

Cleomes - looveely tall annual plants - tck them in the aiing cupboard

at compost heap - DH "getting round to it"

hopelessly behind this year

sowing in the next few weeks:

broad beans, chillis, sweet peas, salad leaves, tomatoes, coriander, dill, consolida, laurentia plus a few perennials

cleomes get sick here, too chalky

Taffeta cat we are living parallel lives - we are posting on all the same posts...

nicefleece - not stalking you, I promise. sure I could make a joke about that on a gardening thread but I'm too tired.....

right....think I need to get planting!
tell me about peppers...can they be done without a greenhouse?
I also started too earlky last year...ended up with trays and pots on everywindowsill inthe house, and loads of seedlings all outgrowing their pots before it was warm enough to plant them out...alas no greenhouse!
So what could I be planting on windowsills now? bearing in mind we are in the cold soggy northern half of England......I have lots of seeds, and am itching to get going!

peppers need to be either indoors on a sunny windowsill or in a greenhouse all summer to do well in my experience.

You could sow onion seed inside now or some early cabbage. They are quite tough & can be planted outside earlier than most things. I sow my celeriac in feb, but they can't be planted out until after the frosts, and so take up a fair bit of space indoors for quite a time - maybe not what you are wanting.

Overflowingmum, if you could cobble together a coldframe somewhere sheltered that catches the sun you could probably get away with peppers - pick a very short season variety, start them mid March initially putting the pots in the airing cupboard if you have one loosely wrapped in a polybag to keep them damp (& compost off the towels), then on a windowsill until they outgrow it. Then out into the coldframe & take the lid off completely once they outgrow it - the sides will still give a lot of protection.

I've just sown some salad stuff in trays (orientals & some lettuce) - will plant it out under one of those mini-plastic tunnel things.

Sorry, should have said of course they need to come out of the airing cupboard into the light immediately they germinate!

weve started planting our seeds ready for the allotment. everyone laughs when they come round at the moment as we have one of the focus plastic greenhouses in our front room with the seedligs growing in. when it is warmer the greenhouse will go in the garden. then when they are bigger we take up the allotment to plant out.

so far at home we have cabbages, big onions, basil, cucumber and peppers on the go. ill have tommatoes and celeriac being potted soon.

oh thanks for the pepper advice...may try that...I see I need to get clearing off the window sills again!