Seed sowing season

[Compo 10,328]

Well folks, seed sowing season is with us once again. I sowed my onions on the traditional 26th December and today I have sown many of my bedding plants. About this time of year I begin to get impatient with the calendar, wishing that March would come by so that I can get my veg sown. I know I shouldn't wish my life away but this time of year is very bleak in the far north; there being very little daylight and what there is almost always comes with wind, rain, sleet or snow.

[loppylugs 8,429]

Sounds like my old Canadian home, Compo. You can start getting ready for the garden a bit earlier here, but with the cold weather there's less bugs and disease problems.

[Ayupmeducks 1,730]

And talking bugs, I hope this year we don't get crickets and grasshoppers as big as last year, both in numbers and size!

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

I'll give it a couple of months. I sewed some late last year for an early show but I didn't expect such mature plants so soon.

[mick2me 3,033]

Visited the local 99p store yesterday they are just getting the gardening section stocked, as the sell off the Christmas stuff.

3 Pompom dahlia tubers for 99p. The peonies were sprouting in their packets, about 2 inches with leaves. Off to good head start in a heated warehouse.

Will be be potted up and sit out the winter in our conservatory.

[Compo 10,328]

I find that tubers and bulbs from the cheapo stores always bolt because of the heating and lighting as you say Mick,. I do the same as you and put them in the cool to stop them from going too leggy.

[NewBasfordlad 3,599]

My seed potatoes arrived today always seems like the start of the season to me....................even if I am only putting them out to chit..

[Compo 10,328]

I have planted a dozen Charlotte tubers in the polytunnel for an early crop. Hopefully, they will be ready before I have to put the toms and cumbers in.

[NewBasfordlad 3,599]

I will do a few Lady C in buckets end of Feb, they then sit in the green house till the space is needed.

[Bubblewrap 3,815]

Still got three bags of potatoes from last years crop

Plus runner beans,red cabbage , sweet corn & butter nut squash.

[mick2me 3,033]

I saved a load of Dahlia seeds in 2014, are they worth planting?

How?

[sue B 48 1,226]

Yes mick, plant in small pots cover with a plastic bag put them in a greenhouse or windowsill.

Early spring is the best time.

[mick2me 3,033]

I have thousands, I might scatter a few around the garden as well, Do they form a tuber?

[sue B 48 1,226]

It's good to experiment in the garden you can scatter some around, also fill seed trays and put them inside

plastic bags, and yes they do form a tuber.

[Compo 10,328]

I think you would be best to put them in pots or trays to begin with, as Sue says. They are very frost tender and would form tubers better if not disturbed too much whilst very young. It will take about three growing seasons to make tubers sufficiently large to flower.

When your tubers form simply dig them up in late autumn before they get frosted and keep them cool and dry for replanting in spring after the frosts.