Most people on the forum probably has their dining table / windowsill full of seedling at this time of the year, they probably said they weren't going to grow as many this year as well , best to wait for now until weather a little bit better your Lupin would be the first to go in the GH
Carol Klein is also in Devon, so what works for her will not necessarily work for you in Cumbria. Presumably she wasn’t advocating sowing tender bedding plants in a cold greenhouse in February in the north of England?!
I’m in Catalunya but couldn't grow anything tender in a cold greenhouse, its the dining table and kitchen windowsills above radiators for me too. Once germinated, they have daytrips out to the patio table for light and sun, then come back in at night until they are ready to move to my unheated poly sometime in April. if you have a non-gardening OH they are usually non too happy about this arrangement, but needs must!
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
Everything veg except for tomatoes are grown from seed in the cold glasshouse, geraniums overwintered plus patio mums there, tomatoes at the moment in the back bedroom.
Thanks for that Cornelly. Good tip, I will remember that. I have been gardening for a number of years ahem! Never ventured into seeds before though, so I am on a big learning curve. Really enjoying it, though. Very satisfying. My tomatoes on the dining room table.........
Carol's garden is in Devon so warmer and brighter than Cumbria most of the year and especially at seed sowing time.
You really do have to factor in regional variations in soil and climate when planning any garden projects and activities. The style of house makes a difference too. Ours has thick walls and no window sills so all my sowing is done out in the polytunnel which is very light but has no heating. Even here in the Vendée which is warmer than most of the UK I won't be sowing anything for a few days and those will be chilies and tomatoes that need an early start. I do have potatoes chitting in the annex which is unheated and has windows on 2 sides.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
I'm further south in France than Obelixx and I don't start anything off in my unheated GH until April. The temperature fluctuations are too great, and even in April here I often have to fleece them at night.
It's far to cold to start cues, toms and peppers in a cold GH but quite a lot of hardy veg and flower varieties will germinate in a cold GH.
I wait till weeds start to grow in the GH beds, a good sign that seeds will germinate, if weeds can germinate then hardy veg and flowers should do too with a little bit of protection from a propagator lid to keep up humidity.
On that basis peas and broad beans germinated in February and the first batch planted out beginning of March. I've just sown a batch of dwarf peas - Meteor, a month on from the time on the packet so am expecting them to show in a next couple of weeks. If I remember I'll post a picture of a tray of pea's about to go out but not at plot until Saturday.
Turnip, swede, kale, brussels, leeks, lettuce and a few others have germinated this week but they are all early varieties.
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In the sticks near Peterborough
I’m in Catalunya but couldn't grow anything tender in a cold greenhouse, its the dining table and kitchen windowsills above radiators for me too. Once germinated, they have daytrips out to the patio table for light and sun, then come back in at night until they are ready to move to my unheated poly sometime in April. if you have a non-gardening OH they are usually non too happy about this arrangement, but needs must!
I did not realise you would also have problems in Northern Spain, not good.
My lovely husband does not mind, at the moment........but we will see come April 😁
The dining room is south facing so that in itself creates its own problems. Ah well! My precious seedlings will be their own reward, come summer.
Happy seed sowing!
You really do have to factor in regional variations in soil and climate when planning any garden projects and activities. The style of house makes a difference too. Ours has thick walls and no window sills so all my sowing is done out in the polytunnel which is very light but has no heating. Even here in the Vendée which is warmer than most of the UK I won't be sowing anything for a few days and those will be chilies and tomatoes that need an early start. I do have potatoes chitting in the annex which is unheated and has windows on 2 sides.
I wait till weeds start to grow in the GH beds, a good sign that seeds will germinate, if weeds can germinate then hardy veg and flowers should do too with a little bit of protection from a propagator lid to keep up humidity.
On that basis peas and broad beans germinated in February and the first batch planted out beginning of March. I've just sown a batch of dwarf peas - Meteor, a month on from the time on the packet so am expecting them to show in a next couple of weeks. If I remember I'll post a picture of a tray of pea's about to go out but not at plot until Saturday.
Turnip, swede, kale, brussels, leeks, lettuce and a few others have germinated this week but they are all early varieties.