Crop Planning

and sowing schedules

A new year and it can be tempting to jump into the greenhouse wielding your dibber and a stack of seed trays in January but now is not the time, seed sowing need not begin until at the earliest mid-February but even then you need to be selective with your sowings and keep them protected from the worst cold snaps. I heard old farmers saying last week “As the days lengthen the cold strengthens” I thought about this when I heard it and realised how true it is some of the worst winter weather always seems to hit from the end of January to early March. So now is a time for planning as opposed to planting.

Therefore as the wind blows up a gale, last week’s heavy frosts are replaced by driving icy rain, and yet another seed catalogue drops through the door I hunker down with you to talk seed-sowing.

As you peruse the seed catalogues and websites you will see different classifications attached to plants, Hardy Annuals, Half Hardy Annuals, Biennials, Perennails, and Shrubs and Trees. I via clear of starting shrubs and trees from seed as I am far too impatient!. The largest amount of my yearly seed sowing is focused on Annuals, these are the flowers that flower and set seed in 1 year. They have such a quick life cycle its best if they are sown successionally

What is Successional sowing? and how to plan your sowing

What no one needs no matter what scale they are growing on is the anticipation of waiting for beautiful flowers then they all arrive at once you fill vases for 2 weeks then they all run to seed. One way to eliminate this prospect when growing Annuals is to grow sucessional crops. This month I will only be discussing Hardy Annuals, as they