The weather this year

My local estate shop buys several pallets of compost each year but this year his sales are well down...nobody is in the garden much or risking planting out with these temperatures.



Personally,by now I usually have hanging baskets and troughs planted with hardier plants,but keeping an eye on the forecasts so precautions can be taken if the weather turns nasty. Over the years it's worked for me to give the plants an early start......



This year I just haven't dared take the risk. Sales must be well down at the garden centres. How are others coping?....or are you just waiting till May.

 

I think its slightly colder than normal but most years we dont actually get a proper spring in my mind, there is always that threat of cold weather.

Which is why I never put anything really tender out until mid May at the earliest.

Always breathe a sigh of relief when the greenhouse is empty of overwintering stuff.

 

Thinking the same. Usually have some baskets planted up and in the GH by now . I still have my (overgrown) Begonias in the house . It's forecast 0°c for the next two nights , and I have a new cra**y Parasene heater which won't stay lit - avoid them ! Mid May is my planting out time as well.

 

Yes mid to late May for me too.

This weather is really getting on my nerves! I have all my seedlings in the house for now. It's impossible to know what to wear & if you leave your umbrella in the car whilst going shopping the heavens open & you get soaked! Roll on the better weather. (I'm feeling very British moaning about the weather! )

 

We also had an early Easter this year which would have had an impact on sales. Traditionally, we "British" see Easter as the start of the gardening season. Which it is ... if we have an April Easter

I've had my sweet peas outside for a few weeks now, just waiting to be put in the ground (but not concerned about those); I moved my seedlings outside in the past couple of weeks, no greenhouse, no cloche, no cold frame, just a box with a bit of Perspex across the top of it. Checked them at lunchtime (frost this morning) and they are still green ( ) ... then, this afternoon we had a snow shower! Possibly lost the lot, but I'll check again tomorrow.

My personal observation is this: the past couple of weeks the sunshine has been wonderful and must have raised the temperature of the soil accordingly. Certainly the weeds are growing full strength! The "arctic blast" that we are having this week may not be enough to go deep enough into the soil to be catastrophic for those hardy plants, but could see the demise of the half hardies.

Hanging baskets I wouldn't be putting out now anyway ... I usually get a blast of inspiration from a visit to Shineyland, at the end of May, and then think: "M" get into gear!!

 

And this morning I woke to my lawn covered in SNOW??????

 

Fingers crossed according to met office long term forecast getting wet and milder wk end then things are looking a lot better next couple of wks I'm on the wirral ....

 

We've had hail or snow every day since Tuesday. It's getting right on my wick

 

Got up this morning - WinterWonderland ! An inch of slushy hail covering everything . The roads were a mess . The M6 backed up as usual .
When will it ever end

 

Although its not been warm by any means this week. the actual weather has not been bad.
Fair amount of sunshine and only the odd fleeting shower.
Thinking things must warm up a bit soon, if only to lose the nighttime frost.

 

Whoop e doo night temp is 10°c tonight ! I can reseed the front lawn , plant the trailing Begonia baskets and put them in the GH .

 

Looks like if you dont have a greenhouse you now have a short growing season (tender plants) (northern half UK) May-Sept.
This years weather is cool just like last years . Im guessing that why theres fewer and fewer plants in the local garden centres and more and more scones,cake,sanwickes and coffees. ?

 

The forecast is for better next week, lets just hope they are right.

 

The low temperatures are getting on my nerves! Greenhouse is full to bursting at the moment. Tomtato seedlings are taking their chances in there, I'm fed up of plants on windowsills.

 

Absolutely p**sed down all day here,,,,, sorry , we had an excessive precipitation!
Had a walk down to the pub on the canal this afternoon, and discovered San Miquel beats lawn mowing hands down