I can't go on....

[piskieinboots]

... like this

following on from my Is February actually January fred - it seems that, from all the helpful advice given, the December issue should relate to what we should actually be doing in January ......soooo...how come our lovely Anne Swithinbank says (in the December issue) 'Let's face facts. By the time December rolls around it's tempting to put the plot on hold and curl up on the sofa with next year's seed catalgues. But there are still plenty of reasons to get outside......'

*howls at the moon

Is there a Moderator in the house than can sort me out and shut me up

[Two_Sheds]

... but the seasons depend on where you live! Eg. Cornwall has summer all year round (July), and in Wales/Devon it rains all year (April). In Scotland it snows 10 months of the year (January), and in East Angular it is always windy (March)

[SarzWix]

Just ignore it all and guess Piskie, some of it's bound to work!!

[multiveg]

... like this

following on from my Is February actually January fred - it seems that, from all the helpful advice given, the December issue should relate to what we should actually be doing in January ......soooo...how come our lovely Anne Swithinbank says (in the December issue) 'Let's face facts. By the time December rolls around it's tempting to put the plot on hold and curl up on the sofa with next year's seed catalgues. But there are still plenty of reasons to get outside......'

*howls at the moon

Is there a Moderator in the house than can sort me out and shut me up

Well, that one is 2 months out of date! I eagerly await the first catalogue (usually T&M) in late September, followed by more catalogues in October. October is the main time for curling up with catalogues. Most seeds already ordered and received by November. Curl up briefly in mid-December with HSL catalogue, but then that is sent off within a day or two.

[shirlthegirl43]

... but the seasons depend on where you live! Eg. Cornwall has summer all year round (July), and in Wales/Devon it rains all year (April). In Scotland it snows 10 months of the year (January), and in East Angular it is always windy (March)

Oi, I resemble that remark Two Sheds - it doesn't rain all year round here at all!!! We usually have autumn and spring for a while then a good summer. Mind you, I got soaked to the skin by sideways hail with thunder and lightning yesterday - that might have been winter

[piskieinboots]

Just ignore it all and guess Piskie, some of it's bound to work!!

now that's a plan

[Don Vincenzo]

... like this

following on from my Is February actually January fred - it seems that, from all the helpful advice given, the December issue should relate to what we should actually be doing in January ......soooo...how come our lovely Anne Swithinbank says (in the December issue) 'Let's face facts. By the time December rolls around it's tempting to put the plot on hold and curl up on the sofa with next year's seed catalgues. But there are still plenty of reasons to get outside......'

*howls at the moon

Is there a Moderator in the house than can sort me out and shut me up

Yes my friend....there are many reasons to go outside at this time of the year beside howling at the moon........but while we howl at the moon we could observe in a clear night the miriads of stars telling us the infinity of the universe and perhaps how little we are with our little problems....on the brigther side we need dark to appreciate light which slowly will be with us once again. In the meanwhile it is also nice to curl up on the sofa or bed with our seed cataloques and dreaming again or if it is so bad and we could afford it we could get easy jet or whatever other airlines and follow that beautiful star which we call the SUN.............( not the newspaper )
My best regards
Don Vincenzo

[TonyF]

You don't need a Moderator Piskie, just look out the window.

I've long ignored the advice in magazines about when to do things, I just use them for the ideas of when to do things and how to do things. If it's planting seeds, look on the packets. If it's planting plants, look at the labels and then go a month later if you want to. If it's planting bulbs (I planted hundreds before the end of November before the frosts hit and it's only now warm enough to plant those left) get them in as soon as possible, ok they may not come up this year but likely will next year.

I think that after a few years, gardeners KNOW. It's an odd thing but you get to sort of carry the feeling for the land, soil, time round with you and once you have experience, you get like the old cottage gardeners, you sort of get an empathy with your garden.

Sorry if this is all a bit esoteric but I'm sure that other people in here will be able to explain it better.

[Snadger]

You don't need a Moderator Piskie, just look out the window.

I've long ignored the advice in magazines about when to do things, I just use them for the ideas of when to do things and how to do things. If it's planting seeds, look on the packets. If it's planting plants, look at the labels and then go a month later if you want to. If it's planting bulbs (I planted hundreds before the end of November before the frosts hit and it's only now warm enough to plant those left) get them in as soon as possible, ok they may not come up this year but likely will next year.

I think that after a few years, gardeners KNOW. It's an odd thing but you get to sort of carry the feeling for the land, soil, time round with you and once you have experience, you get like the old cottage gardeners, you sort of get an empathy with your garden.

Sorry if this is all a bit esoteric but I'm sure that other people in here will be able to explain it better.

It's strange that, but 'gut instinct' is a funny thing to explain!

[piskieinboots]

Sorry if this is all a bit esoteric but I'm sure that other people in here will be able to explain it better.

Esoteric we can do - but I'll put myself up for the enlightened, initiated rather than the highly educated people

But seriously, I do understand Tony and you explained it perfectly - thanks

[Flummery]

As folks have said, your own location is one of the most important factors. That's why we often ask new grapes to include their location in their profile. I heartily agree with Tony in that you rarely get ahead by planting too soon - trust the packets! In my opinion, the best and most timely advice is to be had here. The 'What I did Today' thread lets you know what others are up to right now. People will generally say, 'But my site is windy' or 'we live in a sheltered area/frost pocket,' whatever, so you know whether you should do that too, or give it another fortnight.

And of course, there's nothing like experience! After a few years you will get into your stride and always do things at the same time (depending on conditions!)

Stick with us chuck, we'll see you right!

[piskieinboots]

After a few years you will get into your stride and always do things at the same time (depending on conditions!)

Stick with us chuck, we'll see you right!

and depending on where HRH decides Snowdrop* should be sent next and I sure plan on sticking with you lot - this is the bestest ever gang

*In 1997 he was posted to Peterhed which is 40 miles NE of Aberdeen, blimey that was cold and windy. There wasn't a tree in sight around the base, seems they last tried planting them in the 60's and down they came almost straight away. Twas a lovely location, with lovely people but soo cold for a soft southern Piskie

[Hazel at the Hill]

... Is there a Moderator in the house than can sort me out and shut me up

Doubt it!

I'm lucky - geographically I'm near enough to Pigletwillie to look on his blog and do what he does - can't go wrong! All I need is another 2 plots at the Hill and a couple of polytunnels.....

[pigletwillie]

A common disease is "spring fever". Once Christmas is past and the shops have new seeds and gardening parephenalia it is hard to do, well nothing. This urge is being catered for by the seed companies releasing varieties of veg etc that are able to be planted earlier, reeling in gardeners who just cant wait. I just think as hard winters seem to be a thing of the past, normal varieties will do, BUT!

Patience is a virtue, For two years I planted aquadulce claudia broad bean in October thinking, oohhh early beans great, but then finding that the wikem vroma planted in March cropped only a week later, yielded twice as much, didnt need staking to stop them blowing over and were much better plants.

TonyF and Flum speak a lot of sense with their comments about looking out at the weather and finding your local conditions before making a move. Seed packets say sow between, say March and May to allow for regional variances in weather conditions, dont always look at the earliest date and run with it. Gardeners being gardeners however always try for willy waggling rights by producing the earliest crops.

One thing that does annoy is that until very recently, garden writers trotted out the same bilge every year, not taking into account the milder winters or new techniques to get the best out of growing in raised beds for example. How many times do you see written "sow two seeds to a pot and pull up the weakest", not an option with expensive F1 seed for me. For the first time I have seen in a gardening magazine (February edition) the virtue of module sowing spring onions, something I have done for several years, it was always "sow thinly and thin out" before that.

I would suggest reading the blogs quite a few grapes keep, many are verry good and several are excellent, as is the "what I did today" thread. Above all, chill and take your time.

[piskieinboots]

cheers PW much appreciated