Getting ready
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a149/mike_brennan/Sowingguide.jpg)
Distances and times have been taken from the seed packets.
eek! Not got me broad bean seeds yet :) Nor me geraniums :o
my wife has very kindly drawn up a gan chart showing what we do when - so that all I need to do is look at the month/week and see what I need to get done - then colour it in when I've done it!
Quote from: timmyc on January 05, 2006, 11:04:42
my wife has very kindly drawn up a gan chart showing what we do when - so that all I need to do is look at the month/week and see what I need to get done - then colour it in when I've done it!
Is that something you can post on the forum?
I do a very similar system Mike, I find it invaluable ... for the sowing times I put in a number eg 4.2 means 2nd week in April. This makes it easy to sort by planting dates.
Most impressive. Reality seldom resembles my own best laid gardening plans, though... :-\
I don't have any plans - best laid or otherwise. I sort of let things evolve in a chaotic like fashion. Not recommended. I'm dreading me shallots showing up :o
Excellent chart Mike. I have saved it for (near) future reference. I can't wait to get started!
Regarding starting off sowing in a greenhouse, would a sunny window-sill be a suitable alternative? If so, are there any tips for sucessful germination?
Martyn.
A sunny window sounds fine to me, providing you have enough space !!!
Thanks for that advice Derek.
The numerous spider plants and cacti on my window-sills are definitely going to have to take a back seat for a few months!
I have some seeds left over from last/previous years. Reading previous posts, it seems that these will still germinate, despite being well past their use by dates.
Is it worth trying sowing some of these? I mainly have tomatoes/ beans/peas. I suppose I have nothing to lose by trying. If I sow them at the earliest recommended sowing date (as per Mike's chart) and they don't germinate, I can still buy some fresh seeds to sow in good time.
Martyn.
What a great chart! I keep track of stuff in Excel too but I am no where near that organized or comprehensive.
MikeB - Do you refer to an unheated or heated greenhouse for the time to 'sow seed in greenhouse'?
Excellent chart!
I've written in the monthly planner in my diary what to sow when. THen once I've sown it I write it in the day page in the diary and then keep track of when things germinate, when prick out, plant out, harvest (if they get to that stage!) etc. All for future reference.
Martyn - I use a windowsill for my seedlings. Works fine. Just watch they don't get to hot from radiators. Old seeds - tomatoes keep for years. Others - sow a bit thicker than you usually would. Do it early so if they don't work you have time to get more! my spider plants live quite happily on the top of bookcases.
Wow, such organisation makes me feel quite humble!
Have saved your chart Mike B thank you :)
Thank you! I've saved it too. :)
I have also saved it. Thank you Mike B.
Thanks Mike I saved it too.... I need all the help I can get .. Ray
Quote from: umshamrock on January 05, 2006, 12:58:04
What a great chart! I keep track of stuff in Excel too but I am no where near that organized or comprehensive.
MikeB - Do you refer to an unheated or heated greenhouse for the time to 'sow seed in greenhouse'?
Basically anything planted before march needs to be in a heated greenhouse. Personally I use one of those cheap plastic self assembly type things usually sold for 10 pounds inside the greenhouse and only heat the cheapo with a soil warming cable, works really well.
A window sill is great, but don't forget to rotate your plants each day when you water them, to insure they grow straight.
MikeB
Quote from: MikeB on January 05, 2006, 20:58:27
Basically anything planted before march needs to be in a heated greenhouse. Personally I use one of those cheap plastic self assembly type things usually sold for 10 pounds inside the greenhouse and only heat the cheapo with a soil warming cable, works really well.
MikeB
Oh to have access to electricity at my allotment...I don't think I can possibly wait until March to try out my new greenhouse!
Quote from: umshamrock on January 06, 2006, 11:54:29
Oh to have access to electricity at my allotment...I don't think I can possibly wait until March to try out my new greenhouse!
But the heat is for plants that are not frost hardy. At the moment I'm growing carrots, onions and cabbage in my GH with no heating. I do have bubblewrap and a forty-five gallon water drum (see previous threads on a water drum acting as a storage heater)
An excellent chart Mike, I've also copied it. I usually keep all my seed packs in a shoe box in chronological sowing order and simply work through it throughout the year.
Hi mike really good chart I have also saved it as new to allotment gardening. :)
I keep all my seed packets in an old computer floppy disk box which I rescued from work. It has a lock on it, which stops any pesky critters helping themseves!
Here is a list, in no particular order, of the seeds I have, with the 'use by' dates in brackets :
Radish - French Breakfast (6/2006) - in date, so these should be OK
Chilli Peppers (6/2006) - as above
Purple Broccoli (12/2003)
Broccoli - Autumn Calabrese (1/2002) - fingers crossed!
Mint (1/1999)
Mint (1/2000)
Mint (1/2003)
I will sow the mint more in hope than anticipation!
Parsley - Plain Leaved (1/2000)
Parsley - Plain Leaved (1/2002)
Sweet Basil (12/2004)
Pea - Mangetout (12/1999)
Pea - Early Onwards (1/2002)
Runner Bean - Enorma (6/2005) -should be OK
Runner Bean - Enorma (12/2004)
Runner Bean - Streamline (1/2000)
Radish - Scarlett Gold (1/2002)
Swede - Marian (1/2003)
Tomato - Gardeners Delight (12/2006) - in date!!
Tomato - Alacante (6/2006) - another one in date!
Tomato -Moneymaker (1/2002)
Tomato - Moneymaker (6/2006) - in date
I will sow the earliest dated packets first and let you know how they get on.
Martyn.
:D
Bringing this to the top, cos I followed the link given in The Shed and think it's gonna be sooooooo useful to new members or those, like me, who printed it out first time round - and now can't find it, so thanks Mike for the original work.
I don't have heat in my greenhouse, so outdoor toms, etc. get started off in the house /bout mid-end Feb then grown on in my cold frames/greenhouse until ready to plant out. Stuff like french/runner beans get started off in pots in the cold frame march-time. Too many damned squirrels round here to faff about sowing in the open ground & covering with netting. >:(
Chart says outdoor toms can't be planted directly outdoors, tho? Some of my thinnings - 1st leaves & hair root only, got thrown with other stuff onto the compost heap or dug into veggie beds - where they grew and grew and fruited beautifully ;D
You are right A-M outdoor tomatoes can be sown directly outside, but this really limits their growing season and you usually get a reduced crop especially with indeterminate (vine) it's IMHO best to use determinates (bush) for outside growing as they tend to have a shorter growing season and a one flush crop. For a final answer check with Tim.
A really useful chart - I've just printed it out. Thanks very much for posting it. :)
Thanks for the idea - being a bit geeky, I have gone through my packets and produced a gannt chart for sowing and harvesting for most of my seeds (99 types so far). I haven't added my 30+ tomato varieties - these will all be sown in modules in an unheated greenhouse in april ..., nor my 1 0varieties of potatoes.
I always go over the top with seeds, but this at least tells me what I ought to have planted, if only I had had the time!
It is available for anyone to use, if you can tell me how to post an excel spreadsheet for download ...
cheers
very impresive charts im still doing mine still in draft for ( on paper still ) iv re wrote it about 5 times coz when i put it down it gose missing (kids hide the thing ) so by the time it comes to putting the plants (seeds) in the ground i should know the book (packets ) of by heart i hope lol
And Aubergines, Mike?
I know - "use your nous"??