First life of 2012 - What are you sowing?

[Keaniebean]

Well last year was totally pants in my raised beds and I really lost heart with my garden made so much worse by the freakish weather and drought conditions we had here in London.

This year I really want to get stuck back into my garden and have some produce to enjoy hopefully so I decided that I would try lunar gardening. I bought a calendar just before January and sewed my first seeds on January 2nd.

I am pleased to announce that they are already poking through the earth looking vibrant and healthy. I have Winter Gem lettuce, Thyme, Oregano, Flat Leaf Parsley, Orange Scented Thyme, Thai Basil, Pistou Basil, sweet Basil and Wormwood.

I didn't know if any of them would germinate at all as some of the seeds are several years old now and have been a bit battered by cold, damp and snails, but they have survived so hooray

What have you been planting already in your cold houses, greenhouses or like me on your windowsills ?

[becks77]

Are you planting out by the lunar calender, I got into a real tis as I couldnt decide if it meant it was time to pot up or plant out by the lunar cycles.
But anyway have noted it is seed time and will be up and planting in trays next week probably.
Too early for tomatoes and peppers yet?
And this lovely chap will send you a weekly email newsletter if you sign up too
http://www.thegardenerscalendar.com/Moon_Planting.asp

[Thomzo]

I planted some garlic outside today. I hope it does better than last time I tried. Nothing came up at all.

Zoe

[Davie Crockett]

Planted shallots in pots under cover (Potting shed), Cauliflower x 4, leeks, onions (Ailsa Craig) and three varieties of Wight Garlic. Can't wait to get them down the allotment when they're hardened off.

[eco-mick]

I really don;t know if I should even plant anything this year..

as I am going through the change of selling the house, and moving in to the bus - before finding my own plot of land to expand on the allotment onto a larger scale. What my worry is that all my veg will be at one place, camper at another and then the hens on the new land...



Don't know what to do..

In the back of my mind.. I shoud carry on as before, if it sells great - move eveything slowly to the new land when it happens.

What do you lot think?

I got some time off this weekend coming so will be planting out soon.

[Thomzo]

Can you plant in pots? Make the move easier.

Zoe

[eco-mick]

Can you plant in pots? Make the move easier.

Zoe

Not sure... but I want to be growing lots of peas/peppers/toms as getting through these at an alarming rate on this veggie diet..

Maybe I should carry on as I am.. not harm in parking bus down the lane while I work on the allotment. (think I best check with the farmer near by if its okay 1st)

[Keaniebean]

Thanks for the link Becks, I'll have a goosey gander over to that site later

I bought a lunar calendar from Amazon just before January this one here.... which has made it all very clear and easy to follow, so I'm hoping that this will make a difference.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0955776732

I'm not going to do garlic, but I bought some shallots today which I can plant tomorrow

Eco Mick, I think if it were me, I would continue anyway, just for the pure pleasure of it.( and excercise - thinking diet here), but plant what you can into pots. Maybe you could concentrate on crops that grow quickly too, so that you get to munch on some of your labours.

Also you could just have pea shoots and the peppers and toms would be good in pots.

[Zech]

In the back of my mind.. I shoud carry on as before, if it sells great - move eveything slowly to the new land when it happens.

Imagine how sick you'll feel if you haven't planted anything and the house doesn't sell. Personally, I think that would be worse than growing veg and having to leave it behind.

[yvette]

Hi Sarah,
Also had a discouraging season in London last year - encouraged by your enthusiasm this year. Would like to plant some lettuce if only I could find the darned seeds.... Also, this year we are not going away in August - its a disaster for the garden, and even with kind neighbours coming to water, the tomatoes and peppers really suffered last year.

[Dr.Syn]

I suggest you do sow seeds because you will possibly have the benefit of the produce (though, in the nicest possibly way, hope not) and even though it's a small the sight of the veg growing could help to sell the property.

Must admit when we were selling our last property there was a hole in the end of a shed. Wonderful cover from runner beans.

[Keaniebean]

Aww thanks Yvette, I'm glad you have decided to grow something this year too. Lets hope that the weather is a bit kinder to us this year

[bonniethomas06]

Nooo! Please, not yet! Still haven't got my gardening mojo back after my very un-ishy winter. Perhaps sowing a few tomato seeds and seeing them come up will get me back on it again...hope so. Am still enjoying hibernating by the fire at the moment, although might clear out the old greenhouse at the weekend.

[Henwoman]

After Sarah's post I have sown by the biodynamic calendar. Thank you, Sarah. So far, several sorts of mixed lettuce, sweet peppers, yellow pearshaped tomatoes, onions, land cress, piment, and have sorted all my seeds out, so ready to go in my newly cleared polytunnel. Don't you just love sowing time!

[Millymollymandy]

Ye gads I don't sow anything before a few things outdoors in March then April inside and out! My tomatoes would be about 6 foot tall and very leggy if I sowed them now.