This weather is incredible 8) My winow sills look like the Eden project and my little plastic greenhouse is busting at the seams. I'm so eager to get over to the Lottie to start planting out but this is England and we know that hard frosts can come even in late April/early May. My runner beans now stand about 12" high and my wife is getting a bit anxious about the amount of windowsill space that I'm occupyng. I think the only answer is to transfer to the patio and harden them off before their final home on the Lottie. How's everyone else coping....Dinger.. :D
my seedlings are still very small. so I don't have your dilemma!
Every year everyone else's plants are way ahead of mine at the allotments and i swear next year I'll get mine done earlier, and every year... etc...
I noticed that some people had big fat lettuces all neatly in a row last week - I've only just sown mine. Do you think they bought them in a shop and balanced them on the soil?
I'm amazed at how fast everything is progressing - marigolds are wilting in the heat (!) so I've had to move outside for a while.
I'd be quite happy for the temperature to drop a bit as I'm already having watering nightmares - emptied 2.5 waterbutts already just watering seedlings and watering a couple of beds. I'd much prefer stuff to be growing slowly but strongly.
Dinger - judging by the number of threads ( here's one - http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,72/topic,30520.0 ) on the same subject, you are certainly not alone.
Weather? As you so rightly say - don't be fooled by a sunny spell. And, as has been said, unless you're a gambler, put only a few out - under cover - after hardening off - keep a reserve.
Normal date for planting is end MAY!
Poor Wife!!
The Spring watch has declared it is officially summer with the May Blossom (Hawthorn) out and the first Swifts but I'm not budging until May has at least started...
:-X
my early runners are about to take the roof off our greenhouse if they dont stop soon and our huge leeks are already neraly pencil thin :o its april 19th whats going on!!!
Runner beans usually go out the first week of May along with sunflowers, closely followed by the first courgette plants, fleece and cloche at the ready. Mid May for squashes and toms - altho I do normally wait until several other allotmenteers have theirs planted out, then I wait a week or 2, then do mine. I do always have reserves in the greenhouse, but like you lot, my greenhouse and conservatory is groaning under the weight of plants. I am going to bite the bullet at the weekend and plant out some of my petunias.
Every day I'm shuffling things around to make more space but still trying to hang on till May for most things. Most of my petunias are still little - did you grow them from seed EJ?
My petunias are small this year, too. (Not a problem normally)
But I agree with Tim - Tim is always right! - don't start planting stuff out just because the sun is shining. This afternoon, I've had my top off; tonight it's 3 degrees!
My beans are still in the packet, but I might sow a courgette or two soon.
I am also following a daily ritual of putting plants into the greenhouse during the day and bringing them all back in at night - very hot taday and the tomatoes wilted and needed water to revive
we've planted lots of stuff too and seem to be running out of space, seems like it happening to us all. have planted somethings in the lottie but still got lots in our mini greenhouse which is in our lobby/porch way near the front door, it's get very warm in there and things have started to poke through very quick. going to spend most of the day at lottie on saturday hope it keeps sunny and get loads done, got to get rid of all the dead bits on the raspberries, as new shoots are coming through, might so that tomorrow and both kids will be at school peace peace peace ;D
QuoteThe Spring watch has declared it is officially summer with the May Blossom (Hawthorn) out and the first Swifts but I'm not budging until May has at least started...
Hurray! It is summer in the centre of the Netherlands. Will not plant my courgettes, pumpkins and melons though, as frost is predicted for the next two nights.
But I could't control my fingers since mid-February. Window sills are loaded with tender seedlings, outside the hardier plants occupy a large table and I already planted some doomed melon seedlings in the cold frame. Doomed because they became leggy and soft and ran the risk of dying on the window sill.
Turned cold in Notts today as a reminder it is only April, so as Tim says end a May. :)