Can i start planting seeds now.

[Andy Hamilton]

once you get the knack it is pretty easy. http://www.selfsufficientish.com/newspaperpots.htm - should help you if you have not seen it already.

[Jessica]

Hi i got to sowing
Parsley
Peppers two kinds
caulflower
tomatoes
lupins
Sun flowers ( THE WINNERS)
lettuce
sweetpea
that reminds me i left the seeds out in tunnel will go them.
jessie

[kevin m.]

I got so fed up of the soil being so wet,so I planted up about 150 yellow and Red Shallots in individual 3" pots,just to give them a start.
I also sowed some broad beans,and will plant some more next week maybe to stagger the end crop.
My October sown Broad Beans are actually showing FLOWERS now (!).
I have soil beds in my greenhouses,and as they weren't doing anything just now,I've planted a couple of different varieties of Radish,Rocket,Mizuna and some 'Little Gem' Lettuce.
They will be up and out,before the Tomatoes go in.
Speaking of Toms,I was too hasty sowing seed in the middle of Feb.-they have sat in 3" pots on my windowsill and got too leggy
So I slung them today and sowed some replacements of 'Shirley' and 'Ildi',also some 'Golden Gem','Russian Plum Lemon','Tigrella' and 'Russian Black'.
My 'Lemon Aji' Chillies (as featured on last nights 'Gardeners' world'),are doing well,and will need potting into 4" pots soon.
Potatoes 'Winston' and 'Kestrel' are well chitted-I hope I can get them in soon ('Winston' first earlies will go into a raised bed,initially covered with old window frames to get them off to a quick start-this method worked very well last year).
Here's hoping that spring is finally sprung!

[Shirley]

We've got about 8 different types of chilis in the propogator at the moment and some tomatoes in makeshift propogators (a 5 litre water bottle) - we are a bit late with the chilis so I hope they will work ok.... fingers crossed.

Got loads of other stuff to sow direct in the ground so will be busy in a few weeks time.

[The Chili Monster]

Shirlz2005 wrote

we are a bit late with the chilis so I hope they will work ok.... fingers crossed.

the main reason many chili growers start early is to give the plants as long a growing season as possible. One additional way to give yourself an extended season is to rear perhaps one of each type of chili plant in a container and overwinter indoors. You won't get much growth (in fact the leaves usually fall off) but kept cosy (above 10 C, pref. higher), watered and treated to some food occasionally and you'll find that come next year your plants will come on leaps and bounds plus flower early. This may be the perfect solution for all you selfsufficientishers that live in Scotland and Sweden.
I'm going to be doing this with my haberneros and tepins this year plus I'm going to experiment with the bell peppers and one aubergine plant.
On the other hand, I've been too successful with my tomato plants. Three are flowering already. I've reduced the heat a little in the hope that I can slow this down a little in the others and at least get those not flowering into larger pots tomorrow.

[kevin m.]

Your right about over-wintering Chillies there,Chilliemonster.
We gave a plant to my mam in november,and she took it home and re-potted it.
It continued to grow to over 3 foot high,and gave a constant supply of Chillies until the beginning of March.
I'm definately going to try this myself this year.

[ina]

I got so fed up of the soil being so wet,so I planted up about 150 yellow and Red Shallots in individual 3" pots,just to give them a start.

Gosh, how many pots do you have???

Thanks for the tip about overwintering chili - I think I might well try that one out! Does that go for peppers, too? Mine are still about a cm high, on the windowsill; after they took ages to germinate, they now don't actually seem to be growing! But I really don't want to keep the heating on just for a few pepper plants. Must look into getting a heated propagator; tomatoes are also still tiny.

[Shirley]

thanks for the chili tip!!

We planted some tomatoes in the heated propogator just 3 days ago and they have already germinated and are about 1" tall!!! No true leaves yet though... but at this rate it won't be long.

new life... I love it

[The Chili Monster]

Ina wrote

tip about overwintering chili - I think I might well try that one out! Does that go for peppers, too? ... I really don't want to keep the heating on just for a few pepper plants. Must look into getting a heated propagator; tomatoes are also still tiny.

I've no idea but I don't see why not. I'm going to give it a whirl this year-perhaps we could all swap experiences/make a data base for each species.
Perhaps one of our Australian friends could give it a go -we'd get a bit of advanced feedback then.

I see your dilemma. I suppose for the sake of a few pepper plants you could try lagging them with horticultural fleece. If you don't want to invest in a heated propagator you could try those heating pads from Boots or experiment with a hot water bottle.
I'm not at all domestic really. Perhaps someone out there could invent a puffa jacket for plants (to go round pots).
I also find I have to elevate the plants so that they experience a greater exposure to sunlight. So far it's made a real difference.

[ina]

I move my tomato plants twice a day - following the sun! No south facing window: They spend the morning on the east side, and at lunchtime they are moved to the west... The lengths one goes to - and they still don't grow!