It's to early to sow practically any seeds. You can only cheat nature up to a point.
Very wise advice.. but really something one must come to understand through trial and error. Don't quash their enthusiasm, but redirect towards appropriate seeds. 😉
I have a greenhouse but it’s unheated and I have learnt that it isn’t worth sowing seeds until March. I haven’t got much room for setting off seed trays inside unless I use the dining room table and my windowsills aren’t sunny enough for seedlings so they end up too leggy.
I do think the “things to do” lists and articles in gardening magazines could provide more context e.g explain that you will need to be able to grow on and pot on seedlings before they can go outside etc. It’s a bit like they always give advice on how to take cuttings but rarely any advice on the time required and knowhow (eg pinching out etc) to develop your successful cuttings into strong bushy plants.
The message is always that growing from seeds and cuttings is the most cost effective way to grow your plants - well it can be but not always once you’ve factored in buying compost, seed trays, pots for potting on etc
If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”—Marcus Tullius Cicero East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
I think B3's point is that for anyone who is looking for advice (i.e. someone who hasn't got a set up they've been running for years), if you start now there's a high chance you'll have to bin a lot of them and start again when they get too leggy or you run out of room or pots to keep potting them on until they can go outside. If you start later, your plants will most likely do fine and they'll most probably catch up ones sown earlier anyway. So don't waste your money and be patient.
If you grow seeds every year in your heated greenhouse that you've had for decades, and you've always done it this way, then carry on.
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
I'm lucky to have time and space at the moment, being a restauranteur my business is closed, to sow seeds. Our climate here in France is a bit better than the UK too.
Even so, whether they succeed or not, just the fact I've had something to concentrate on, something to look forward to, something to get up for in the morning has been so helpful in terms of motivation and a sense of purpose.
Once we're allowed to re-open I may well be extremely busy so hopefully I'll have done all the time consuming stuff and will be able to just enjoy the flowers.
Here they are enjoying the sunshine this morning.
“Coffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else?” —Betsy Cañas Garmon
Plenty of windowsills inside here so I have planted my GW Dahlia seeds and a few little bits in small amounts and have them in covered unheated propagators sprouting happily. Heartily agree with @D0rdogne_Damsel having a few bits on the go its something to look forward to, especially when its frozen solid outside and we're all stuck in. I wont plant the bulk of my summer seeds yet but its lovely to watch a few shoots of green until then.
I always put my seeds in too early and end up with them too leggy so this year I have been a bit more restrained. I have only sown those that need heat to germinate and which the packet said would take 30-90 days to start. Needless to say I now have green shoots less than a week later.
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2 weeks ago I also planted seed potatoes, early ones, in the cold frame
I do think the “things to do” lists and articles in gardening magazines could provide more context e.g explain that you will need to be able to grow on and pot on seedlings before they can go outside etc. It’s a bit like they always give advice on how to take cuttings but rarely any advice on the time required and knowhow (eg pinching out etc) to develop your successful cuttings into strong bushy plants.
The message is always that growing from seeds and cuttings is the most cost effective way to grow your plants - well it can be but not always once you’ve factored in buying compost, seed trays, pots for potting on etc
East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
If you grow seeds every year in your heated greenhouse that you've had for decades, and you've always done it this way, then carry on.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Even so, whether they succeed or not, just the fact I've had something to concentrate on, something to look forward to, something to get up for in the morning has been so helpful in terms of motivation and a sense of purpose.
Once we're allowed to re-open I may well be extremely busy so hopefully I'll have done all the time consuming stuff and will be able to just enjoy the flowers.
Here they are enjoying the sunshine this morning.
Needless to say I now have green shoots less than a week later.