Don't Lose The Plot: Going to Seed

Runner Beans & Cucumbers Cold Greenhouse

Cucumbers & Peas Cold Greenhouse

O.K. so having trawled through hours of information on the internet, read dozens of gardening books & catalogues, I've come to 2 conclusions about vegetable gardening.

1. The answers lie in the soil.
2. The weather controls almost everything, especially the gardener.

Well maybe 3, if it feels like the right thing to do at the time then do it. Easter Weekend is the traditional time, or so it's said for planting Potatoes. Well this season I'm going with the weather if I can estimate what its going to do from one day to the next. Can't complain so far this year as the following seed sowing "calendar" will show.

Main Crop Trenches Before Planting

After Planting (Desiree)

January: Mainly mild up until the end of the month.
(Got my back & front gardens into shape after the Winter & actually mowed the 2 lawns, first time ever in early January) Planted a couple of shrubs & trimmed back various hedging.

DOWN THE PLOT:

9th January - Parsnips (Gladiator) sown, 1 x 15 foot row. They are currently 2 inches (5cm) tall. Sown direct.
9th January - 140 Peas (Kelvedon Wonder) sown. All are growing well in deep trays.
16th January - 150 Peas ( Oregan Sugar Pod) sown. Most have germinated & awaiting planting out. In trays.
16th January - 40 Runner Beans (Enorma/Scarlet Emporer) sown 50% growing in cold frame 50% in cold greenhouse, awaiting planting out.

February: Very cold/icy until the middle of the month. 2nd half of the month slightly warmer up to 9 deg. C.
20th February - 30 Cucumber (Marketmore) sown.Growing well in cold greenhouse. 4 failures. In deep trays.
20th February - 30 Tomatoes (Gardeners Delight) sown. 20 growing well in cold greenhouse. In deep trays.
22nd February - 150 Cabbages (Spring Hero) sown. All doing well in cold frame. In trays
23rd February - 50 Oriental Cabbages (Questar) sown. All doing well in cold frame. In trays.
23rd February - 210 Cabbages (Landjeck) sown. All doing well in cold frame. In trays.
24th February - Leeks (Musselbrough) sown. 15 foot row. Showed through 3 days ago. In situ.
25th February - 60 Lettuce (Iceberg) sown. All doing well outside in trays with glass tops.
26th February - Early Potatoes (Maris Bard) sown 1 and a half 30 foot rows. In trenches.
27th February - 25 Cauliflower (All Year Round) sown. 2 inches (5cm) tall. In polystyrene box outside.
28th February - Carrots (Autumn King 2) sown 2 x 15 foot rows. In situ.

March: First 2 weeks of March cold again with heavy mist & fog, most daytime temperatures down to 3 degrees C, with a few exceptions.
1st March - Spring Onions (Ramrod) sown. 1 x 15 foot row. in situ.
6th March - Peas (Hurst Greenshaft) sown. 4 x 15 foot rows. Growing well. In situ.
8th March - Turnips (Purple Top Milan) sown. 2 x 15 foot rows. 1 inch (2.5cm) tall. In situ.
8th March ? - Maincrop Potatoes (Unknown) sown. 4 and a half 30 ft rows. Already through. In trenches.
12th March - 70 Peas (Hurst Greenshaft) sown. Just showing in cold greenhouse. 7 failures. In pots.
15th March - 100 Runner Beans (Enorma/Scarlet Emporer) sown. Inside sheds. In pots.
20th March - 9 Oca tubers (Oca) sown. Into pots. Being kept indoors.
21st March - Maincrop Potatoes (Desiree) sown. 6 x 30 foot rows. In trenches.
22nd March - Carrots (Norfolk Giant) sown. 3 x 15ft rows. In situ.

Onion sets, comprising Ailsa Craig & Stuttgarten have been planted on various dates in different locations around my plots. They are currently in different stages of development and no problems so far.
2 trays of Brussels Sprouts sown in February were a total failure in my cold greenhouse. 2 x 15 foot rows have since been sown direct.