Traditional Sowing Dates?

[MarkHackwell]

Could someone tell me the traditional sowing dates for Vegetables please? Sowing Onion Seeds in December is one but im not sure of the date now Thanks!

[zazen999]

What dates are on the seed packets?

[Aberdeenplotter]

Zaz has really hit that on the head but even then you need to recognise that some northern parts of the country can be as much as 6 weeks behind southern areas.

Sowing onions in December seems to be old hat now at least for exhiubition with some exhibitors starting their onions off as early as the start of November.

[zazen999]

I was going to say that but he is in West Sussex!

[veggiechicken]

Could someone tell me the traditional sowing dates for Vegetables please? Sowing Onion Seeds in December is one but im not sure of the date now Thanks!

Its December 3rd

[rustylady]

Another tradition was planting potatoes on Good Friday. Again, it depends on your local weather conditions.

[Alison]

It's traditional in my house to plant things when I have time

[vegnut]

Isn't sowing onion seed meant to be on the shortest day and harvest on the longest day. Or is i t shallots or both

[Aberdeenplotter]

Nowt as concrete in gardening matey. Different folks have different ideas. I bought a packet of onion seed yesterday which recommends sowing march to April although I already have onion seed for other varieties sown. There are different types of onion, long day and shortest day type (more info here Onion Types :: Gardening Fast Facts :: Weekend Gardener ). There's also some general info about sowing dates on that site ( The Official Seed Starting Home Page - Onions )

There are loads of things that are traditionally done on boxing day as opposed to the shortest day and I suspect that situation developed as a means of poor oppressed husbands needing to escape from their charming wives after being cooped up with them for too long over Christmas.


Bottom line is to do what works for you or works for someone in your area. In that I mean take local conditions into account in whatever you do in the garden and you won't go far wrong.

[veggiechicken]

There are loads of things that are traditionally done on boxing day as opposed to the shortest day and I suspect that situation developed as a means of poor oppressed husbands needing to escape from their charming wives after being cooped up with them for too long over Christmas.

What you really meant to say Ap, was that the good lady of the house will say to her dearly beloved - "Once you've finished the washing up, why don't you get out from under my feet and go outside to play with your seeds......."

[Aberdeenplotter]

nope, we b@@gger off before the washing up