What have you managed to grow so far this season?

[Garden Manager]

So with all this cold weather this winter/March, what (if anything) have you managed to start growing? I am particularly interested in any outdoor sown/grown crops, in addition to ones grown in nice snug greenhouses!

I personaly havent managed anything yet, despite plans to have a nice early start this year! I have though had plenty of time to prepare the soil, wash pots and trays, so am at least ready to start. Trouble is even in an allegedly mild area (and a parafin heater) my greenhouse remains stubbornly a 'cold' one (except for the sunny says when the temperature soars! ::)).

I'd like to know if i am alone (and being a coward) or if others have had the same problem.

[Garden Manager]

[flowerlady]

Hi GC,  so far all I have managed is to weed the onions and dig a trench and fill it for the beans!!  :o

But at home have got peas and beans in loo rolls sprouting, begging to be let loose, that's if the mice don't finish them off first!!

Also outside have some Hispie cabbage seedlings on the go.

Inside I have toms, aubs croaked!!, artichokes, cape gooseberries going a song, and trying some old parsnips in modules in the warmth - nothing ventured nothing gained!

As I still have some beetroot from last year, will sow them on the lottie later.

That's another thing WHEN it warms up that is !! ;)

Still have parsnips and leeks from last year and the PSB is ready to be picked -yippee (that's is what the pigeons have left me >:( )

Have run out of space at home, so I am limited by the weather now as to what I do next  ;)

[Curryandchips]

Outdoors? Only garlic planted last october. Indoors, tomatilloes, cape gooseberries, aubergines, tomatoes, peppers, leeks, and lettuces (little gem). A very late spring in my opinion.

[katynewbie]

:-\

Started some broad beans in loo rolls and they got a bit leggy, so pinched the tops out...why oh why don't I listen to Tim and have some patience?!!

Also got some celeriac going in pots on windowsill, they have taken ages to germinate, thought they had failed for a bit, but now they are coming on well.

Done nothing outside cos of snow and rain etc etc and am ITCHING to do more, but I am gonna wait..no, really, I am!!!!!

;)

[MikeB]

Outside - Cabbage,cauliflower and lettuce.
In the greenhouse- 40 parsnips in paper pot & 20 in loo rolls, dozen brussels sprouts plants, 60 tomatoes, 20 peppers, 10 chillis, 10 aubs, 500 onion seedlings and I do not intend to explain this it's just an idea but 500 carrots in seed trays. If the idea works I will brag and tell all, but if it fails which I think it might this is the last  mention of it. Two packets of leeks and two sweet potatoes on the window sill.  About 20 odd different flower types, but I'm still itching.

MikeB

PS Don't tell Tim

[derbex]

Mike,

do the parsnips in loo rolls work? My pre-germinated ones went a bit funny last year, not really drilling down.

What's going now -garlic was kicked off in modules in the cold greenhouse in Jan, as were onions and some broadbeans. The garlic is in the ground now -and growing the onions and beans are still in their cells but outside. My Nov. sown b.beans are also coming along (I've still got some leeks). Shallotts are out but not doing anything that I can see.

That's it for planted out. Quite a few things in the greenhouse -surviving if not growing too much, the Hispi looks to be doing well and I may well put the first batch into the border soon. On the window sill there's Aubs, Peppers, Artichokes, Par-cel and Toms last two will probably live on the windowsill, the toms are Balconi Yellow and stay very compact, I'm starting to think about sowing my main batch but it'll probably be a week or 2 yet. Oh yes 1 cuc and 1 courgette are up -both for the greenhouse in a month or so.

[grawrc]

Autumn onions and garlic are "doing away". Indoors on windowledges I have tomatoes, carrots and broadbeans. Plus a million seed potatoes chitting to burst and waiting for the soil to defrost. :'( :'(

[MikeB]

Mike,

do the parsnips in loo rolls work?

No idea this is my first year of trying this method. In previous years I would plant directly outside in their final growing positions, but I had very poor germination rates, hence the reason for trying the loo rolls. The parsnips in the paper pots look better, sort of more robust, although that could be a flight of fancy since they are all still at an early seedling stage.

[Alimo]

I've planted cca lettuce in the greenhouse (unheated) and already had a meal from them.  Potatoes in a large pot and carrots in a large pot - all in the greenhouse.  Thought I'd try carrots this year for fun.  I sowed some peas along with the broad beans, but because of the cold had very poor germination, they're waiting (all four) to be planted outside.

Outside I planted out some broad beans - some under a cloche and some not.  First earlies went in last weekend and also thought I'd sow some radish, carrots and beetroot outside (under the cloche).  Onions and shallots also under there.

I think I may have been a little hasty - seeing as the weather has turned very cold again, but fingers crossed the cloche (lidl's finest) will keep the worst of the cold at bay.

This weekend I'll probably sow some more broadies, peas, beetroot, spring onions in the greenhouse.  I've been trying to be patient, honest injun I have, but when the sun pokes it's head out I just have to do something !!

Alison

[nittynora]

Planted onions and garlic so far...... (last week)

Spuds "chitting" by a window

Seedbed raked and cold - waiting to pluck up courage to plant a few other things

Almost snow in London today, so looks like just more digging for the next couple of weeks......

[Amazin]

Outdoors - the shallots planted in autumn are up and ...er... toddling; Garlic coming along nicely in containers; cauliflower and cabbage pickable now and sprouting broccoli about to sprout ... or is it...?!
I've also got some plug plants and seeds (non-edibles) in my mini-greenhouse and under my cheapo 99p cloches.
Indoors, on the windowsill:
Squashes - Butternut, Acorn and Marina de Choggia,
Peppers - California Wonder, Jalapeno, Cayenne, 'Windowsill chilli', and - Peppadew!!
Melons - Ogen, Honeydew, Galia, Canteloupe
Physalis - Edulis, Peruviana, Tomatillo
Tomatoes - Moneymaker, Gardeners Delight
Herbs - Sweet Basil, Summer Savory, Chives, Parsley
Also some lettuce - and my competition-winning (ahem!) Pumpkins.
Oh, and a dozen or so non-edibles.

Apart from that... no, not a lot happening here

[raymee]

I have broad beans about 4 " sown in November but that last frost nipped them off . they have recovered somewhat in the last week and i am hoping I get half a crop.  I sprouted some peas mixed with soil in a flora pot and they had 1/2" sprouts when checked yesterday so I planted 40 in 3" pots and the rest outside.  I have a feeling its too early but who knows we might get a heatwave shortly, if I get nothing from those theres still time to plant more.  I have got celeriac in toilet roll holders and in a propagator they are about an inch.  Theres the usual brassicas and lettuce in the modules in all my window sills and all growing nicely. I am trying to get my parsnips going in toilet roll centres in the airing cupboard but without success as yet.. I live in hope on those. I am not planting any runner beans or courgettes until mid to late April.. Patience is a virtue you know ...... Ray

[ellkebe]

Chitted potatoes that I daren't plant out (but I comfort myself that they'd all have chitted anyway, so not me being too hasty  :) ) and some early peas that now need pricking out.  That's all the action indoors. I've sown some chilli seeds but no show yet and I grow them on indoors anyway.  Outside in cold frame caulis waiting for me to be able to face a cold day on the lottie (I can't help it - I'm a SSB  ;D)

[dicky]

All I'm doing is swearing at the cold weather and checking the BBC weather site about 20 times a day for signs of some warmth. :(

So far I have50 odd leeks in bog roll tubes in the cold frame, some lettuce seedlings waiting to harden off to go in a grow bags in there as well.

I plants radishes and spring onions in coldframe last week but no signs of life yet and I planted my chili and pepper plants in pots indoors. Last year I did them mid april and it was a bit late so 4 weeks earlier this year.

I have garlic onions and spuds to plant as soon as it warms up a bit.

[Garden Manager]

Outside - Cabbage,cauliflower and lettuce.
In the greenhouse- 40 parsnips in paper pot & 20 in loo rolls, dozen brussels sprouts plants, 60 tomatoes, 20 peppers, 10 chillis, 10 aubs, 500 onion seedlings and I do not intend to explain this it's just an idea but 500 carrots in seed trays. If the idea works I will brag and tell all, but if it fails which I think it might this is the last  mention of it. Two packets of leeks and two sweet potatoes on the window sill.  About 20 odd different flower types, but I'm still itching.

Wow someones been busy!

MikeB

PS Don't tell Tim

Too late you just have!

[JohnnyLarge]

Nothing. I don't start growing owt yet. My allotment is too cold and wet. Give it another month and i'll think about getting going.
Maybe.
If it's too cold to put your bare arse on the soil, it's too cold for planting.

John ;)

[supersprout]

Pea shoots and bean sprouts indoors, munch munch.
Broadies a failure in their toilet rolls so ate them too :'( ;)
Rhubarb and raspberry canes for later!
Otherwise, even the patooties are going to wait til after Easter now ;D

[jennym]

Outside:
A row of broad beans that I started off at Christmas in deep seed trays and then transplanted when we had a mild period, early Feb I think - they look OK.
Garlic - about 100 plants, again started off in deep seed trays and transplanted at around the same time.

Under cover: (outside but in plastic mini greenhouse)
Onion from seed - just half seed tray, about 2 - 3 " high now
Onion from sets about 60 red and 60 white, rooting nicely in deep seed trays
Leek from seed - just half seed tray, about 2" high now
Mizuna, Giant Red Mustard and some lettuce,  now in 7cm pots, looking healthy but small. The seeds were germinated in half seed trays in a cool room in the house.

Under cover: (inside on windowsills)
Tomato seedlings varying from 1 - 3" high, some with a couple of true leaves
Cape Gooseberry seedings - very tiny still
Tomatillo seedlings - about 1 - 2" high
Chilli pepper seedlings - about 1 - 2" high
All these were sown about a dozen seeds in a pot, placed in a heated propagator, then when they germinated have been transplanted into 7cm pots to grow on a bit.

[Mrs Ava]

Onions and garlics went into the ground last November.

2 varieties of broadbeans and 1 of peas which were started in newspaper pots went out to the allotment last week.

In the greenhouse I have in various pots and trays:
2 varieties of beetroot
spinach
swiss chard - bright lights
2 varieties lettuce
2 varieties leeks
2 varieties spring onions
Kohl rabi
spring cabbage
curly kale
selection of flowers including marigolds and sunflowers

In the conservatory I have about 30 different toms, 10 different chillis, several peppers and aubergine varieties, 30 different squashes, mini sweetcorn, early french beans and a selection of flowers.

Still have masses and masses to do, but room and time is at a premium at the moment.  Little and often is what I am trying to do just to keep on top, doubt I will ever get ahead!

[flowerlady]

good grief you lot, I now definitely know I'm trailing behind  :o  again  ???