Things flowering too soon?

[MrsCordial]

Four things are flowering at the moment:

apple tree
(young) gooseberry bush
ramsons
Kelvedon Wonder pea

Is this normal or a bit early?

[WendyC]

About right for the apple, ransoms and gooseberry. Peas- I suppose it depends when you planted them.

[MrsCordial]

Thanks Wendy. The peas went out a couple of weeks ago as small plants. It's fine, they look healthy enough, I'm just not used to seeing flowers this early in the season.

[rustylady]

Just noticed flower buds on my Swift early potatoes, planted 15th March

[johnjohn]

Kelvedon are a first early, so assuming good conditions and a sowing in March a crop in May wouldn't be unrealistic so I recon flowering now is going to lead to a crop in mid to late May? early June? (ish!) which is normal for a good early start, well done! (no chance last year!)

[MrsCordial]

Oh great! I'm a real newbie and hadn't realised there were peas that cropped at different times. The children will be delighted with a crop so soon

[johnjohn]

You can keep sowing them until June/July, a sowing every week or fortnight will keep them coming but as you get later you run the risk of pea moth unless you cover with a fine netting like vegiemesh or enviromesh.

The RHS say:

Make a single sowing of an early, second early and maincrop variety. First earlies are sown from March to early June and will be ready to pick in 11 to 13 weeks. Second earlies are sown from March to June and are ready in around 14 weeks. Maincrop cultivars are sown at the same time and take up to 16 weeks

[MrsCordial]

Smashing John, thank you

[alldigging]

I've got strawberries flowering on my plot!

[MrsCordial]

Woohoo! I'm hardening off my strawbs today (it's cool and wet here) under glass on an outside bench. I'll keep them in the porch tonight then if I get a dry window tomorrow I'll plant them out.