too cold ?

[valB]

I am a novice at growing veg and I was wondering if it is still too cold to put seeds into the ground.  I have Carrots and Parsnip seeds that I bought in UK and it states that from February onwards is fine but I do not want to lose them if not the right time. 

[Tony F Dordogne]

It would really help to know where in France you are ValB.

[valB]

Hello Tony

 

I live in a very cold Deux Sevres  dept. 79  Not usually this cold I may add.

[Pads]

Hi valb

What I do with a packet of seeds is starting from the first month stated on the packet I plant a few of the seeds each week, until the last month stated, this will lengthen the picking season and if its the wrong time for planting you will soon learn by the results, if you can use lolly sticks and write the date and air and ground temp on it when you planted. As with all plants its trial and error.

Mean while get your old toilet roll inners and fill with compost and start off your peas and beans inside , by time its warm enough they will be ready to plant ( whole thing dont take the roll off )

Plus trays of lettuce and spinach can now be started inside ready to plant out in about 4 weeks  

[hoverfrog]

parsnips are OK from Feb (frost no problem after sowing) but carrots are usually later. In my experience, up to a month later from the UK sow date is fine. The growing season in France is later but quicker, so sowing earlier/later will have no adverse effects and you may well have an earlier crop from a later sowing depending on your location!

At the end of the day, it all depends on the weather - a bit of a gambol, some risk. but then that's what gardening is all about!

[Tony F Dordogne]

I'd go for it now even tho it may be a bit on the cold side - but, if your putting them in the ground I'd cover the carrots with hivernage for another couple of weeks/month just to be on the safe side.  I've managed to get hold of some of the large tobacco industry module trays that are used to start of tobacco plants.  You can get 240 seedlings in one tray for they're great for starting off carrots and parsnips but for parsnips (and peas and beans) I usually use Rootrainers.

They're also easy to cut so I raid the fish stalls in the market, get their old polystyrene fish boxes, give them a good wash out and cut the trays up so they're like standard seed trays but I can then get about 110 seedlings per box.  They're warm, retain the moisture without getting the plants going leggy and come on a treat in my cold frames.  If you can get some (trays usually around in July), I'd recommend them for early planting of small seeds, they're also great for starting nasturtiums and flower seeds.

[valB]

Thank you to all who replied and I cannot wait to get started. Warmer today but P*****g down with rain so I will have to do baking for freezer instead as no Asda or Tesco close by.

 

[pip24]

Hi Val, just a little tip for you. Mix some radish seeds in with the seeds so that when you sow them the radish seeds will come through a few weeks sooner than the parsnips. This acts as a helpful line marker for when you are weeding. You also get the catch crop of radish !

My last parsnips took six weeks to come through, dont give up on them !   

[valB]

What a good idea pip24 but still p*****g down so cleaned the house instead today. At least we do not have the weather that they have in UK at present.