Early sowing for next year

[PurpleHeather]

I have always sown seeds in Spring in an unheated greenhouse but over the last few years I have noticed that other people are growing things from October. A mix of eatables and non eatables.

Last year me and a neighbour on the plots, being saddos with nothing better to do planted some seeds very early and others later to check the progress and were disappointed to find that rather than elongate the harvesting season as we hoped, the later sown plants simply caught up with the early ones and every thing ripened at the same time.

Much the same happened when we tried to sow lettuce at fortnightly intervals.

The greenhouses are on the allotments and we can and do visit daily to water but are not keen on putting heaters in.

Any one got any hints or tips?

[PurpleHeather]

[manicscousers]

apart from the winter lettuces , winter peas and oriental veg, the only seeds I plant now are sweet peas, we haven't any heating at the plot  :)

[grawrc]

I think the only advantage of sowing now is that, come the springtime when there is so much to sow, some of it has been done already. I'm between greenhouses at the moment so have only done outdoor stuff; peas, broad beans and sweet peas. I'm going to do some lettuce and cauliflower with cloche protection too. Oh and spring cabbage should get planted this week once hardened off.

Also sowed cornflower, limnanthes, poppies and phacelia a couple of weeks back - all outdoors.

It's all a bit experimental. If the winter is bad they may all pop their clogs!!

Mmmmm ....off topic I'm afraid, but does anyone know the etymology of that expression? "Pop their clogs."

[BarriedaleNick]

Mmmmm ....off topic I'm afraid, but does anyone know the etymology of that expression? "Pop their clogs."

From what I can gather - to Pop was to pawn or sell.  The expression dates back to Northern England -  millworkers would wear cheap clogs and selling them would be the last thing they would do...  So if you did it would be assumed you were at the point of death...

[InfraDig]

How about: Pop goes the weasel?

[Poppy Mole]

Listen to Anthony Newly's song - it explains it ( off the top of my head I can't remember the exact words)

[PurpleHeather]

Since, as usual we have gone off the subject, the pop was the pawn broker and the weasel and stoat was cockney rhyming slang for a coat.

So he pawned his coat.  To buy half a pound of tuppeny rice and half a pound of treacle.

If he had pawned his suit

He would have pawned his whistle (and flute)

They did not have the House of Plenty (DHSS)

And I am not bothering to do any seed planting until after Santa comes and all my winter stuff is planted out.