Is it early?

[BUFFS]

warm weather? I had a look around the garden today and there is so much evidence of the recent "mild spell", now everything seems to have swelling buds, far earlier than I would ever expect, even the fig is now showing signs of early growth, I need my new stone fruit trees to arrive now so I can get them into compost and growing away, I am just hoping for a spring this year, as it went from winter to summer virtually overnight last year, so we lost about 6-8 weeks growing time, meaning things like pears only started growing well just as summer finished, early again..

[Teabag]

When is the best time to plant them out? I just bought a "victoria" crown from wilko but my soil is still bit hard from frost and don't want to kill it

[Mark_Riga]

Hello Teabag, I assume you have planted it as no frost for a while now in Cheshire - so would be same in South Wales.

If ever I can't plant something out because too wet or too cold, I leave it somewhere cool and make sure its roots don't dry out. Depending what it is and how long the weather is poor, I cover roots with damp compost (maybe from old growbags).

[Teabag]

Thanks for the reply Mark, I've stuck it in a pot for now. We had snow last fri and had a light frost last night so think its still bit early, I'm up by the brecon beacons so bit colder than Cardiff or Swansea

[happyhumph]

Mine still doing nothing. Getting worried now!

[cheops]

Each variety of rhubarb has its own 'clock' and along with local weather conditions will start appearing when the time is right. Leave it to nature and don't worry whether your rhubarb is early or late - it knows best. The good thing is that even if the rhubarb has sprouted and then along comes a very late frost or cold spell the rhubarb plant is a tough hardy one. If there is a really hard freeze, the leaves and stalk could be damaged, but new ones will soon replace any that are damaged.