+- Garden And Gossip Forums (https://gardenandgossip.org)
+-- Forum: General (https://gardenandgossip.org/forumdisplay.php?fid=6)
+--- Forum: General discussion (https://gardenandgossip.org/forumdisplay.php?fid=7)
+--- Thread: Sowing seeds out of season (/showthread.php?tid=833)
Sowing seeds out of season - Scarlet - 25-01-2021
Ok, I know Veggie does this...and I obviously do occasionally but on other social media I'm seeing people start climbing French beans, squash and all sorts. I have got some bush Tom's going, o just had to start a couple of flowers. Really worried that I've wasted my salvia seeds as stuff grown too early and left inside can often lead to leggy weak seedlings.
I know it's only the cost of a few seeds - but I don't like wasting them if I have to buy them as the postage hikes up the costs. I've given up sowing lots more than I need as compost is precious to me at the moment too. I ran out of pots last year - I'm not going to garden centres. I'm also on a water meter - I've felt it's a waste to use all these resources on growing too many and wasting stuff on chancing my luck and then it going in the compost at the end.
I get that if you don't experiment you never learn - but climbing French beans now is madness or is it?
What early sowings have worked for you? How soon is too soon?
RE: Sowing seeds out of season - toomanytommytoes - 25-01-2021
Salvia nemorosa should be OK, they are hardy down to -20C. If they die I can just send you some more seed
I've sown quite a few flower seeds already and will be sowing even more at the start of February. They don't go under lights, just on a sunny windowsill or in the greenhouse if it's warm enough.In February I sow cold hardy things like brassicas, lettuce, spinach, peas, spring onions and shallots. They stay in the greenhouse, maybe with an extra covering if there's a sharp frost forecast. Also some early carrots in pots.
Beans, not until April in the greenhouse at the earliest. Can't imagine how big a January sown squash will be by May!
There is a Youtuber who grows early climbing beans, courgettes and cucumbers quite successfully, but it's a lot of extra work (heated conservatory, bubble wrap, fleece etc.).
RE: Sowing seeds out of season - Veggie - 25-01-2021
As you know, I sow out of season to test how far ahead, or behind the game, I can be. I only experiment with seeds that I have plenty of and won't miss if they fail.
Apart from the early tomatoes, I have courgettes, cucumbers, DFBs and CFBs in the propagator.
On 20th November, I sowed/poked some Bijou Mangetout seeds into some emptied tomato pots in the GH. They're 6-12" high now.
Only gamble if you can afford to lose.
RE: Sowing seeds out of season - JJB - 25-01-2021
On Veggie's recommendation I too sowed bijou peas also some green hurst peas on 21st Nov in a cold greenhouse. Both are growing the bijou have overtaken the green hurst. I shall probably do this again. The toms, aubergine, chillies and sweet peppers are a first time for me this early in the year. Next sowing spree will probably be in February. Lack of warm space is the problem.