When is spring/early spring?

[Gryfon]

A couple of my seed packets say sow in spring/early spring so I'm trying to work out if that's now or later? Especially as the daffs are in full bloom over here!

Thanks

[mazel-bee]

I have a book that continuously says spring, early spring. This is a very good question, I look forward to some replies. I guess early spring is march but guessing is no good as I may kill some plants

[Gryfon]

My thoughts as well! Especially as yesterday was lovely spring weather!

Wondering now whether we're really be caught out by frosts which is doubtful as last time everyone in England had snow we had rain!

[Alice]

I think officially March is early spring but it's all down to where you live and what the weather is doing. I think it's a matter for your own experiience and commom sense.

[Geordie]

Deciding when Spring is, is probably as much down to your location as anything. If you kept a diary of your gardening / planting exploits then in subsequent years you would have a better idea of the last frosts etc.

For me early spring is March but with the necessity of plant protection if necessary. Normally a few good days in February / March is enough to provide a false sense of security that has you planting things outside. A sharp frost then appears from nowhere and kills all the plants, that heralds the start of Spring.

[Earthbabe]

March is early Spring for me too, however Rachel given where you are and if your garden/plot is sheltered you may be able to get away with planting a little earlier, although you may still get frosts into the end of April if I remember rightly.

Most of the books I have list March as early Spring, April as Spring and May as late Spring. February is classed as late Winter.

Hope that helps.

[srodders]

What sort of things are you growing - will it be inside or out? I have a fair amount of stuff growing at the mo and I can let you know how it's doing and whether I would plant that early again or not.

Whereabouts are you?

[Two_Sheds]

I always count Spring as starting on 21 March - seems to be when it warms up significantly here next to the North Sea.

[Gryfon]

I'll probably be putting most of the seedlings in the greenhouse. The garden is fairly sheltered by houses and tall walls.

The bed won't be ready until sometime in March anyway so it's probably a moot point I also don't think we've had any frost at all this winter! Gone are the days when the pond used to freeze over and you'd worry about slipping on black ice.

[srodders]

I'm near Oatlands and have had no frosts - At present I have red and white onions, cauli, basil, chive, toms, 'tatos, marigold and anthirrinum growing from seed - and a few other things put in this weekend. The only one I may not sow so early next time are the cauli's (sown 20/01 - about now would be better I think). Just finished getting my beds ready this w/e so may plant out soon.

[lyndap]

Going by my gardening books,spring is :march,april,may.Summer:june,july,august.Autumn:september,october,november and winter:december,january,february.Hope this helps.

[Nicos]

In the past, I used to plant all my spring sown seeds over the Easter weekend, as thats when I had time to do it.
So I suppose for me early spring is 2-3 weeks earlier and late spring is 2-3 wks later ( or May bank holiday weekend -when I had more time again!!)

[Birdie Wife]

I'm near Oatlands and have had no frosts - At present I have red and white onions, cauli, basil, chive, toms, 'tatos, marigold and anthirrinum growing from seed - and a few other things put in this weekend. The only one I may not sow so early next time are the cauli's (sown 20/01 - about now would be better I think). Just finished getting my beds ready this w/e so may plant out soon.

Can we get a green-eyed monster smiley? We had hard frost in July last year