What on earth happened to Spring???

[Vixen218]

Hi all,

Am totally baffled now...
Spring has gone and winter is back... How did that happen???
I was going to plant my potatoes, peas, onions, peppers etc today but now everything is under a foot of snow...
Should I just wait until the snow has melted and then plant, or do I need to wait till the air or soil is a certain temperature.

And thoughts would be great xxxx

[RedThorn]

Personally, for me, if I got to dig through snow to plant seeds, it's too early

[gingerbilly]

I'd hold back until the temps rise.

During this cold snap you'll probably lose everything you plant that isn't in a heated environment.

maybe the gulf and jets streams are having a laugh

[kathyd]

I think I'd go for the 'plant in pots under cover and wait until it warms up a bit to move them outside!' Depressing isn't it? Not sure which is worse - a really warm spring like last year, followed by a lousy cold wet summer, or no spring at all???

[SarzWix]

Spring consists of 3 months, generally, and this is just the first of them Panic not. Think about it; country lore says to plant your spuds on Good Friday, but how often is Good Friday on the same date! Not very! Which means that it doesn't matter whether they're planted in March or April

I'll be waiting until the soil has warmed up a bit to plant most things out, rather than just going for it as soon as the snow melts

[Darwin.]

I've started stuff inside and won't be moving anything out for a few weeks yet. It's too old and the garden is completely waterlogged anyway.

[Two_Sheds]

I was going to plant my ...peppers etc today

Outside? You are jesting?

[Aberdeenplotter]

I'll be waiting until the soil has warmed up a bit to plant most things out, rather than just going for it as soon as the snow melts

That's my advice as well. As the soil dries out a bit, it will warm up and then everything will be tickety boo - hopefully

[VirginVegGrower]

Outside? You are jesting?

We must be getting a heat wave. I think I'm going for coconut growing this year

[Barking Postlethwaite]

No snow (well, only a few flurries) but another week forecast for single-digit daytime and sub-zero nightime temperatures so the most I'm thinking about doing is perhaps putting some fleece over the seed beds towards the end of the week in the hope that it will raise the soil temperature more quickly when the cold snap finally ends.

I'm clinging to the hope that all this freezing weather will lead to a mass extinction event in my resident slug population.

[SarzWix]

I'm clinging to the hope that all this freezing weather will lead to a mass extinction event in my resident slug population.

I think we're all living with that hope Also the one that says a cold early spring might just mean a half-decent summer?!

[Vixen218]

Will wait for the soil to warm up a bit... Might start some seedlings up in the utility, it's not warm but will do the trick... Will have to go and buy some compost though as cant access the garden...

Glad I'm not gardening today actually as my wee one is currently being my very own personal heater... Well head and body anyway (hands and feet are freezing)...

Enjoy the snow everyone

[Kirk]

Spring only started on March 20th, Vernal Equinox. Give it a chance.
Asking where it has gone less then 3 days after it started is a bit impatient.
Afraid that snow in March and April is not uncommon.
These nice brisk easterly winds occur every year at this time, they tend to cause snow as well every year.

If you read the gardening reports over the last couple of years people have complained constantly that the mild ones we have had have not killed off so many pests and bugs. Now it is cold we are complaining about the cold weather.

Someone on TV was saying about the effect of the cold weather on the wildlife and plants, last year they were complaining about the effect of the warm weather on wildlife and plants.

We live on a little island in the NORTH Atlantic, we do not get meditterean weather, we never have and never will. Moscow is at 55 degrees North, Newcastle is at 55 degrees North. On that basis what we have is very mild.

[Vixen218]

Kirk.
Thank you very much for your comments. If you notice I am a seedling on this forum, it would therefore be likely that I am a novice in the gardening world.
I was following the instructions on the seed packets which said to plant in the middle to the end of march, which would have made it from the 16th of this month.
I honestly don't mind the cold, in fact I hate the warmth, I don't care what the weather is like, I am following the seed packet instructions and was simply asking some advice as to whether the veg would be ok to wait until warmer weather.

[gingerbilly]

Aye, ne'er cast a clout till May be out.......

it's all due to the North Atlantic Drift I tell ye.....