my allotment and things

gunners71uk · Mon Mar 06, 2006 7:11 am

well the last week or so got alot of digging done. set some leek seed in pots got sweet peas growing in pots and some more broad beans in peat pots.
some have sowed parsnip seed already but i think its too cold could i cheat and put parsnip in peat pots at home let them germinates and put the whole thing in the ground,is this possible?.
im not up on the technical side so pls let me know what you think.
thanks gunners

Tigerhair · Post: # 13323Post **Tigerhair** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 7:54 am

Well done gunners... how have you dug the ground in this cold though? It's solid here!!!

Millymollymandy · Tue Mar 07, 2006 6:24 am

I don't know how warm it is in Nottinghamshire but we are a good month behind last winter so I am not even contemplating sowing a single thing, not even in my cold frame. In fact not even in the propagator, as that involves going outside to the freezing cold potting shed!!!

Parsnips need to be planted direct into the soil, do not transplant! They should be planted 3 seeds close together every 8". They don't germinate easily and take a long time. If you should be lucky enough to get more than one germinate from the 3, pull them out. Resow in the gaps and you'll eventually get a proper row of 'snips, some ready before others.

diver · Post: # 13376Post **diver** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 2:29 pm

it's not that cold here despite the snow....we are putting broad bean seeds in pots and onion sets in the ground...nothing else yet as I am about to go on holiday and watering would be a problem

gunners71uk · Tue Mar 07, 2006 5:08 pm

well milly it aint been that warm but my allotment is in full sun so i done alot of digging i dont have very coordination and i cant make the seed bed perfectly level but i get stones out hoe it well. ihave dug over the and forked most my allotment twice i hope to be able to spot the parsnip seedlings from the weedsi could do with pics of vegetables at seedling size but cant find any if you have any or see some please let me know.thanks milly and co a few on me allotment have put there parsnip seed in ill hang on i think.

Millymollymandy · Tue Mar 07, 2006 6:42 pm

Gunners, that bouncing around is doing my head in!!

I think they come up quite big straight away, not like some tiny little seedlings. Anyway if you wait a bit then you can go and have a look at the other folk on the allotment's parsnip seedlings, can't you?

I know a lot of stuff can be planted in March but I think you just need to use your common sense as to when the time is right, especially if you have had colder weather than normal. (By you I mean 'one', not Gunners!)

ina · Post: # 13480Post **ina** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 9:20 pm

I've heard that you can grow parsnips in loo rolls and plant them out - it's right they don't like having their roots disturbed, so pricking them out etc is not on. I'm giving the loo rolls a try, anyway. Might get me some parsnips a bit earlier than last year.

Wombat · Post: # 13529Post **Wombat** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 1:38 am

Ew! Can't handle parsnips!

Nev

gunners71uk · Wed Mar 08, 2006 7:01 am

thanks folks i might stick a few in peat pots.
see no bouncys!!!!!!!!!!!!

gunners71uk · Fri Mar 10, 2006 5:56 pm

yesterday and today did a bit of pottering been raining here but i managed to put some reinforcing stakes om my runner bean poles got giving some old bell tent poles which have strengthened the structire.
also made another runnerbean sweet pea structure and made it a bit longer as found a 7by 4ft metal thing used for reinforcing concrete going to set some french bean majestic sown ib pots next week too.im glad i stuck this out all the really hard work is done iknow theres weeding etc to come but thats life.

ina · Post: # 13859Post **ina** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 6:45 pm

gunners71uk wrote:im glad i stuck this out all the really hard work is done iknow theres weeding etc to come but thats life.

Lucky you! Nothing really done in the garden yet - we were snowed in for over a week, managed to go to the village for an urgent shop tonight for the first time this month, and it had started snowing again... More snow forecast for this weekend, so I fear the garden will have to wait again! But I might get some things in pots and into the polytunnel.

Millymollymandy · Sat Mar 11, 2006 7:06 am

I've sown some cress!!

Yes, just starting to get 'in the mood' and wondering where on earth my propagator is!

Warmer weather and the weeds are starting to flower, although I don't have any daffies flowering yet.

Yippee!

albert onglebod · Tue Mar 14, 2006 7:39 pm

I made 2 little raised beds in my veg plot.One is just some old breeze blocks arranged in a rectangle and the other is some bits of wood and old plastic fencing stuff.Thats where Ive sown my parsnips in one and carrots in the other.They are both covered in plastic bubble wrap at the mo so that the frost doesnt get them.I put them in about a week ago and nothing showing yet.We have a lot of cats including one of our own,so the raised beds are likely to get some netting or something once the plastic is off,otherwise they will just become giant litter trays.