not sowing til end of month - is this ok?

[legless]

I live oop north (whitley bay) and i am planning not to sow the following until the end of the month, am I ok or should i sow earlier?

outdoor cucmber
sweetcorn
courgette
borlotti beans
runner beans

i don't have a greenhouse and i don't want them to end up leggy...

any advice gratefully received,

thanks

Jo

[legless]

[Palustris]

Well we live in the even colder Midlands and won't be sowing outside till the end  of the month either.

[busy_lizzie]

We are of the same mind Jo.  Though I have sown some mixed lettuce seeds.  We haven't even planted our early potatoes yet, think they are going in either this weekend or next week. Has been far too cold and wet up here. I think this  early Easter has knocked everybody off their stride  into thinking things should be being planted outside now. We are still being cautious.  :) busy_lizzie

[legless]

thanks Eric but i mean sowing inside on a windowsill, i don't think i can plant tender stuff out til nearly the end of may? and even then with some protection i should imagine...

i put my earlies in last weekend under fleece as i did last year because it worked well (i was away for all of april so no choice) but all the big guns down the site were putting theirs in yesterday...

BL - when are you planting out the tender stuff? do you know our expected last frost prediction type dates?

[Sarah-b]

Hi Jo,
I live down south (just outside London), but won't be sowing tender things until beginning of May. Don't want to end up with a load of leggy things on my windowsills and don't want to plant stuff out and then lose to a freak frost at the end of May like last year.
There's no rush...

Sarah.

[Bodolph]

Hi Jo,

I've only put in my early potatoes and a few root crops so far. I'm starting beans and tomatoes off in the greenhouse. Regarding "going leggy" this is often a symptom of using a compost with too many nutrients and over watering. Try cutting back on the compost content (mix in some of your plots soil) and water sparingly. You want a steady growth before planting out.

Bodolph

[lancelotment]

I'm from east coast'ish North Lincs originally and moved to Cheshire about 20 year ago.  It's a pullover warmer here generally then where I was from as the wind can be bitter when it whips in off the North Sea.  With North Lincs being so flat there's nothing to stop it so can sympathise with you Jo.  It does tend to be wetter over here though and with some fairly heavy clay soils things tend to be delayed by wetness rather then cold.  Oh for a greenhouse and a sunny day!!

[Fingle....]

Bugger I planted last week ....what should i do ??

I have a big roll of clear polythene, shall i cover the ground with that ?

[Bodolph]

Hi Fingle,

depends! Anything below ground is almost certainly safe. Anything visible at the surface is at risk. You simply need to insulate it a little - horticultural fleece is ideal since you can leave it on. Straw works but you8 need to secure it from blowing away. Plastic is ok IF you only use it overnight - it is not recommended to leave it on since it reduces water to the surface.

Bodolph

[legless]

thanks for the replies. Food for thought re. leggy seedlings bodolph, thanks.

[busy_lizzie]

I am going to wait and see, would want things a bit more stable before I planted some tender stuff out.  It is  tricky with the weather to-ing and fro-ing so much.  On Sunday got burnt by the sun it was so  hot at our lottie, but today it is very chilly and frost is forcast here too.  Think if going on last year, it will probably be end of May too, when I feel secure enough for things to go outside.  We have lots of trays of seeds on windowsills indoors, which I am hoping we haven't started off too soon but it is difficult not to get enthused about seeing those little seedlings coming up.   :) busy_lizzie

[tim]

legless - hear what Eric says!

Nothing gained, & much to be lost, if you sow before late April.

Even if you have a greenhouse.

'Leggy'? Almost always due to lack of light. Sowing to early!

[wardy]

There's this mad rush to get stuff sown isn't there when there's a bit of sun  :)  I'm not doing much at the mo as it's really cold here today and yesterday.  I did sow a small patch of mixed lettuce in a deep sided bottomless box jobby.  I went back yesterday as I thought it a bit cold for my seeds and had the good idea of covering them with fleece.  Have you ever tried to cut fleece to size in a gale?  I looked like a ghost!  It blew right over my head.  Felt a right berk.  No-one saw me I hope  ;D  Then it occurred to me!  Why didn't I do it in the  shed? 

[Ceri]

I started way too early last year as my first season so terribly enthusiastic - every windowsill covered etc. etc.  Remember leeks in the propogator in early Feb Legless?!

The lottie man next door started nothing at all inside and just put his seeds in the ground when it was warm enough.  My peas, beans and leeks as well as salads were ready no earlier, so the only things I'll be starting inside this year will be pumpkins, squashes and sweetcorn.

Husband much happier as he can see through windows.  Cats fairly unhappy as less opportunity to play all the 'drive Ceri nuts' games that plants on windowsills provide.

p.s. Legless/BL and anyone else in W Bay - I've just bought some D of Y seed pots from my lottie shop - sold by the stone - if anyone fancies half a dozen just let me know - I'll never have room for all these

Ceri

[busy_lizzie]

Thanks Ceri.  We are planting Charlotte, and Duke of York this year too, so have plenty. Nice of you to offer though.  :) busy_lizzie