This weather and growing.

[teamladd]

Hi All,

I still class myself as a newbie when growing stuff, but this col weather is really annoying me. I am unsure wether it is too cold to plant out my potatoes and onions. What is everyones views? Im in Wiltshire, even though it is sunny, it is still so cold.

I have managed to get some peas and broadbeans seeds to germinate, but this was using compost and not put straight in the ground.

Thanks all.

[Florence Fennel]

I'm still chitting potatoes TL and I grow them in containers, so they're not going out for a few weeks yet. My onions went in in October, so they have been overwintered and are still thriving, so I think you might be safe enough to plant the onions. Try the search thread for advice about the potatoes - Tattyman has some brilliant tips. Good Luck!

[rustylady]

I am hanging on this year. Sown tomatoes and chillies in the propagator indoors, but nothing outside yet. Veg seed needs the soil temperature to be at least 5 degrees before it will germinate, and ours is nowhere near that yet. The "old boys" used to reckon that if you could sit bare-assed on the ground it was warm enough to sow seeds.

[Patchninja]

That one I have to try. What a great tip! LOL

[Pies]

The "old boys" used to reckon that if you could sit bare-assed on the ground it was warm enough to sow seeds.

Just trying to work out how somebody worked that out

[taff]

I put out shallot and onion sets last week, but god knows if it was the best or right time to do it.
I put broad beans in too,also in compost, because I'm not sure which bed they'll be in eventually.
Think you're just going to have rely on your instinct

[crazii_c]

well i'd wait a bit longer. i put my little broad bean plants outside into my unheated little ' greenhouse' , after germinating inside. they had been surviving the frost quite nicely, but last nights frost was just a bit too cold for them and one has died and the others look a bit worse for wear im going to give them an extra covering incase tonights another bad frost.

[Herbie]

I'm also in Wiltshire and I would hold off planting outside just yet it's still too cold. I over wintered onions and they are fine but they don't mind the cold, my broad beans didn't survive so I have sown again. This was a hardy variety too. I would wait a few more weeks and see how the weather / temperature measures up. Most things will catch up anyway but at least the seeds won't rot in cold wet soil.

[teamladd]

I'm also in Wiltshire and I would hold off planting outside just yet it's still too cold. I over wintered onions and they are fine but they don't mind the cold, my broad beans didn't survive so I have sown again. This was a hardy variety too. I would wait a few more weeks and see how the weather / temperature measures up. Most things will catch up anyway but at least the seeds won't rot in cold wet soil.

Cheers everyone for the advice!

I lost my broadbeans I had already started too, was a little sad about it, but have started off new ones in compost outside in my little plastic zip up greenhouse. They have just started to show signs of life, quite surprised they have germinated with it being so cold outside. I think the sun that we have had has made them want to appear.

I might plant out a couple of rows on onion sets tomorrow and see how they go. Will def wait on the potatoes though!

Cheers all.

[Bramble_killer]

I can't plant anything yet because my ground is frozen. Thunked the spade into it this morning to plant the peas and broad beans and it wouldn't move.

I think I might be waiting for a bit yet. I've started the onion set in cells in compost to give it a headstart until the soil warms up enough for me to get a spade into it

[gilwrig]

I've got things all over the house at the moment as the greenhouse is taken up with my hubby's collection of sarracenia.. what a cheek!

It must be warming up in Cheshire as the dreaded horsetail is showing well...... grrr I must have dug up two miles of roots last year... anyone want any? Free to a good home

[Alison]

Not planted anything out so far this year although have some peas and broad beans which will be out soon and also some garlic which has been started off in modules. Loads of more tender stuff inside though so plenty going on.

[Topcat36]

I have held back, ground is so cold and temp here going down to -4 tonight .

[organic]

I've not seen any horsetail yet (it'll come... I dug out loads of complete and intact roots last year but I'm under no illusion that it's gone), but since we've had a couple of weeks without any proper rain the ground is drying up nicely and REALLY easy to dig. Last weekend it was almost like digging clay but now it's lovely. It breaks up nicely and lets go of roots without much of a fight.

I'm surprised people further south are finding it still frozen solid. I thought you were bordering on the sub-tropical down there!

[WeeGarden]

Oh gosh, after reading this, I hope I gone and done the wrong thing yesterday. I'm in Wiltshire too, and planted out my broad beans and my sweetpeas yesterday. The broadies are looking a bit crunchy this morning....

I'm in Wilts too. I'm hoping that becaue I'm in suburbia and surrounded on one side by house and two sides by a 6ft brick wall, that my garden is a bit more sheltered/warmer than an allotment... Must invest in a thermometer, and give my babies a fleece blanket tonight. Hope they haven't died!