sowing seeds to early???

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sowing seeds to early???
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nomad

Joined: 07 Mar 2005
Posts: 6

Posted: Mon Mar 07, 05 1:13 pm Post subject: sowing seeds to early???
hello everyone! i'm writing to ask if everyone thinks it to soon to sow carrots on my allotment? i also sowed salad leafs, parsnips and spinach! do you think it's to soon???

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45712
Location: Essex

Posted: Mon Mar 07, 05 1:16 pm Post subject:
It's a bit early for carrots, but they might be OK. Some spinaches are designed for early sowing so depending on variety could be OK. Salad leaves, depends what they are. I think it's a bit early for parsnips. Just wait and see.

nomad

Joined: 07 Mar 2005
Posts: 6

Posted: Mon Mar 07, 05 1:19 pm Post subject:
thank you! jugding by your photo it is far to early! but it hasn't snowed here! i've sowed some under glass! and some free to the elements!

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45712
Location: Essex

Posted: Mon Mar 07, 05 1:20 pm Post subject:
By the way welcome on board

Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Mon Mar 07, 05 1:20 pm Post subject:
I think it depends where you are - I'd been going to have a go a few weeks ago but then the snow came. I have started chillis and tomatoes, but nothing else apart from some salad leaves in seed trays which can be moved around as necessary, hoping to keep that up this year. Is it a silly question to ask a nomad whereabouts his/her allotment is?

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Mon Mar 07, 05 1:20 pm Post subject:
It will also depend on your location, soil type and protection. If you live in the South West, have a light soil and cover the seeds then you may be ok for carrots. If you live in the north, on heavy clay and they are open to the elements then too early. Welcome BTW.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45712
Location: Essex

Posted: Mon Mar 07, 05 1:20 pm Post subject:

nomad wrote:

it hasn't snowed here!

Whereabouts are you?

nomad

Joined: 07 Mar 2005
Posts: 6

Posted: Mon Mar 07, 05 1:23 pm Post subject:
i live in clevedon which is south of bristol and by the coast! hey this is the first time i've ever done this sort of thing!! it's really good isn't it!!

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45712
Location: Essex

Posted: Mon Mar 07, 05 1:24 pm Post subject:
Glad you like it, it can be really excellent, but not every site is as open and friendly as here.

nomad

Joined: 07 Mar 2005
Posts: 6

Posted: Mon Mar 07, 05 1:27 pm Post subject:
i'm also looking at trying to grow sweet potato's!! is it possible in this country?

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45712
Location: Essex

Posted: Mon Mar 07, 05 1:29 pm Post subject:
Not easy, some nurseries sell "slips" little sweet potato plantlets. They need a greenhouse to do really well, and they take up quite a lot of room (they're climbers). You can grow your own slips, I think Treacodactyl's done that before.

Behemoth

Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 19023
Location: Leeds

Posted: Mon Mar 07, 05 1:29 pm Post subject:
Sweet pots - haven't done it but I've heard you can in a polytunnel or greenhouse.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Mon Mar 07, 05 1:36 pm Post subject:

Sweet potatoes are often treated with something that stops them shooting so you need to wash them. Then leave somewhere warm in a little potting compost to shoot. Ours took about 6 months!

We then took the shoots off and rooted them, when it's warm they root very easy in a glass of water. Unfortunately then didn't grow well as they need it warm and our greenhouse isn't that warm.

Some places sold slips last year but I don't know if they are this year. Bob Flowerdew has grown them I think and they can be grown as a houseplant if you have somewhere warm.

Alchemist

Joined: 02 Mar 2005
Posts: 123
Location: Aberdeenshire

Posted: Wed Mar 09, 05 5:24 pm Post subject:

Dunno if it's any use, but I read somewhere that you can bring on plants early using a hot-frame, which if I understand correctly is a regular coldframe with manure under the soil you plant your crops in. The manure heats the frame as it rots. I was going to try it out with sweet potatoes this year to see if it'd keep them warm enough, but haven't had the time. PS. Slips were advertised in Kitchen Garden last year around this time as one of their special offers. If you're lucky they might be doing the same this year.

Tristan

Joined: 29 Dec 2004
Posts: 392
Location: North Gloucestershire

Posted: Wed Mar 09, 05 8:05 pm Post subject:
The hot frame is a fantastic idea but really hard work. I can dig out some info if anyone is interested. Nomad, even if your seeds are in too early just put some clear polythene on the soil and weight it down, it'll give you the extra few degrees to get what you've put in so far to germinate.

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