what can I start growin now

[veg4681]

Personally I wouldn't start toms that early either.

How early can you start tomato to be as big plants as you see in GC and DIY stores by March? I always envy their size ! We all want an early start because let's face it, summer come and go at a blink of an eye, makes me so mad.

[JanieB]

I decided to experiment this year and planted seeds in Feb, March and April. By May all the plants were the same size. The Feb ones were in a heated propagator.

Conclusion is that whenever you plant the later plants will catch up .

Incidentally, they all died from neglect as personal circumstances imposed themselves and I didn't get a chance to plant them in the conservatory .

[Flummery]

In my younger and more enthusiastic days I planted in early Feb but as I don't have a heater in the greenhouse they had to be kept indoors and grew a bit leggy. I have better results from shorter, stockier plants set off in March. Don't forget the growers have been pumping carbon-unfriendly heat into their greenhouses - the salad growers round here have large steaming pipes around their sites. You can lose plants from shock if they go from hothouse to cold. On a non-commercial basis you get better results from a later sowing and keeping the plants growing steadily. They DO catch up!

[pigletwillie]

I start my tomato, chillie and peppers in early February in a heated greenhouse. This gives us ripe tomatoes at the end of May from plants put into the unheated tunnel in Late April.

Before that, over the Chrisrmas break I sow my shallots and onion seed and thats about it until March.

[Flummery]

Ah well, if I had a heated greenhouse and a polytunnel - I'd be in the wrong house! Not enough room, though I could wish!

[borobob]

I have started my shallots of in 3 inch pots in the greenhouse. I will plant these out in march.No heating required. Garlic can still be planted out. If you have plenty of room you can start them of the same as the shallots.Hope this is useful and the Boro beat Derby.

[shirlthegirl43]

hi and welcome to the Vine borobob.

I am going to try to get some garlic planted this week - time and energy permitting. Look forward to reading more about what you grow.