Weather worries :-(

[thegreenjudy]

I have just joined this forum and I am a serious novice - all I know about gardening is, that I need to stick some seeds in soil and water it..ha

I have quite a bit of space and even more space for pots but I am worried about the next 2 weeks weather forecast (rain rain rain). I have planted a few things outside and everything else inside to grow seedlings.

The ones I planted outside are my biggest worry:
Spinach
Broccoli (also purple sprouting)
Onions
Carrots
Some flowers (where it said I can grow outside)
Salad Mix
Rocket
Potatoes

I know these plants have a thick skin when it comes to weather but I have only just planted them and don't want them to drown :-(

What can I do to protect them from the bad weather? Or am I just worrying too much?

[rustylady]

Whereabouts are you, and what is your soil like?

[SlugLobber]

The problem I had last year with carrots and snips is that it rained SO hard, the seeds were spread around everywhere. So, I had random germination, rather than rows. Other than that it was just the lack of sun which made for a poor crop. Assuming we get a summer this year (or at least more than last year), I wouldn't worry about rain. Last April was terrible and very heavy for rainfall. This April has been much better.

[thegreenjudy]

I'm in Liverpool - I bought organic compost from B&Q - so I guess it's alright :-)

[rustylady]

Greenjudy, I take it you're growing in containers then. Am I right? Why else would you buy compost?

If you add your location to your profile it will show up on your posts, and save us having to keep asking. Your whereabouts can make a lot of difference to advice offered.

[Potstubsdustbins]

If you are growing in containers just make sure you have plenty of drainage hole otherwise the plants will drown.

Potty

[thegreenjudy]

thank you rustylady - I will ad it.yes I grow in containers and two raised beds - wouldn't be allowed to dig up the garden :-) they all have drainage holes. I am more worried if anything will grow at all - but so far it's been sunny - chilly but sunny!

[Pa Snips]

I have just joined this forum and I am a serious novice - all I know about gardening is, that I need to stick some seeds in soil and water it..ha

That's about all I did last year (my first year) and the results exceeded my expectations. There's no need for elaborate methods, nature will take care of it.

I have quite a bit of space and even more space for pots but I am worried about the next 2 weeks weather forecast (rain rain rain). I have planted a few things outside and everything else inside to grow seedlings.

Interestingly, I have just checked the long-term forecast for Liverpool and it's looking to be much the same as here in Bury...little more than a bit of useless drizzle.

What can I do to protect them from the bad weather? Or am I just worrying too much?

I'd be more concerned about the overnight frosts that have no right to still be plaguing us at this time of year. I've only just started sowing seeds due to this horrible everlasting winter, whereas last year I had begun eight weeks earlier.

[thegreenjudy]

That's about all I did last year (my first year) and the results exceeded my expectations. There's no need for elaborate methods, nature will take care of it.



Interestingly, I have just checked the long-term forecast for Liverpool and it's looking to be much the same as here in Bury...little more than a bit of useless drizzle.



I'd be more concerned about the overnight frosts that have no right to still be plaguing us at this time of year. I've only just started sowing seeds due to this horrible everlasting winter, whereas last year I had begun eight weeks earlier.

Yes actually the cold worries me more now...I have planted seedlings indoors and the courgette came out after 3 days (!!) and the rocket after 2! Everything else is still asleep :-( I am just worried that nothing will be sprouting! But maybe I am too impatient :-)

[kathyd]

Everything's late this year, don't worry. The danger is sowing things too early, then they get too big and it's still too cold to plant things out, and you've got no room left to store them! You get more than one chance to plant loads of stuff too, so it's not the end of the world if the first batch fails - spinach, carrots, saldads etc. Also various brassicas - sprouting broccoli, caulis, cabbages - I'm going to sow more than one batch of EVERYTHING this year, to cover all bases! In theory this could spread my harvest a bit, so I get more stuff over a longer time, and if one batch fails it means I've got the next one to fall back on . I'm trying to learn to relax and enjoy what I'm doing instead of panicking all the time about missing deadlines and forgetting things .

[thegreenjudy]

Just a little update - it's finally warm and sunny outside and my seedlings have come on great. Not sure why this boy looked like that after only 5 days of planting indoors though..lol

But very proud of him (it's a courgette)

[rustylady]

Courgettes grow very fast. By the way, you have four courgettes in that one pot - you need to pot them singly.

[thegreenjudy]

Yes I know - I will plant them outside anyway, these were just seedlings.

[binley100]

Too early to chuck 'em outside. Give them their own pots and keep them somewhere with plenty of light until June....

[thegreenjudy]

Is it? It's nice, warm and sunny up here....