Every day I listen to the kids complain about getting up for school. They are on a permanent count down to the next half term break, wishing the days and weeks away which of course we all did when we were their age.
I hear myself having the same conversation with them almost daily, telling them not to wish their life away and that time travels at seemingly lightening speed as you get older, a statement which is never welcomed, especially at 7am in the morning when we leave the house to meet the school bus.
But as we all know, time really does feel like it drags its heels in your youth (especially during school term time!) and then appears to pick up the pace dramatically as we journey into adulthood.
The fact of the matter is time neither speeds up or slows down for any of us, but it certainly does feel like that speedometer ticks over a little quicker as I navigate my way through; dare I say it – being middle-aged!
Today is the 28th February and as we edge ever-closer towards spring I wonder just where this year has gone? Christmas is a distant memory and watching Big Ben on the television tick past midnight followed by a plethora of psychedelic colours filling the London skyline on New Years Eve feels a lifetime ago.
It would be unfair of me to say it’s just the younger generation who are guilty of wishing the days away. If we’re being honest we’re all guilty of it sometimes. Who hasn’t dreamt of summer during those miserable, dark, cold and wet January days when it feels like we’ve been engulfed in a blanket of ‘gloom’ for days or weeks at time.
Perhaps gardeners are more culpable than most for doing just this as we are always forward planning with one foot in the next month or season, eagerly thinking about what we are going to sow or grow this year or next.
Sometimes this eagerness can get the better of us and we can be tempted to grab those joyous packets and start to sprinkle those tiny seeds of hope to get our new growing season off and running; which can be our downfall at times.
I have always said the back of the seed packet is your friend with seed companies giving you all the information regarding the wants and needs of each plant variety. You’ll be supplied with details such as the height your plants reach at maturity, their preferred growing medium, best position to be grown and when to sow the seeds; basically everything you need to be become a success when choosing their product.
However, all that information and general advice is based on the average growing conditions for your region or country. The seed companies are more than generous with the details they provide and I’m sure they would provide every weather type, growing medium, area of the country etc, but, I fear the size of the seed packet may have to be increased somewhat to accommodate it all!
So where does this leave those of us who are anxious to get their growing season started right now?
Why don’t we just start sowing everything immediately in winter or during cold months?
What’s the worst that can happen?
The answer to these questions is pretty simple.
You CAN start sowing in winter and cold periods; well a few things at least like cold hardy peas, broad beans or chillies for example.
The worst that can happen?
Well, the worst that can happen is that your seeds don’t germinate or can rot sitting in cold wet compost. The alternative is they do germinate but then you lose your delicate new seedlings or plants to a late frost.
Both scenarios are annoying and disappointing, but realistically neither are the end of the world and you can re-sow again.
However, I’m here to give you a little reassurance and to let you know there really is no rush to get started. Sometimes a little patience can save you time and heartache further down the line. Just because you see lots of gardeners online sowing, growing and nurturing young plants during the cold months it doesn’t necessarily mean you should or have to yourself.
I would never discourage, berate or belittle anyone who wishes to break from the norm and risk an extra early sowing of seeds because they could have completely growing conditions, a better climate, more space or even more experience growing a particular crop.
I am here to simply reassure those gardeners who are feeling a little rushed, impatient, panicked or dare I say a little envious when watching other growers online racing ahead in the new growing season.
We all have completely different growing conditions, climates and growing spaces so what is right for one gardener may not be right for the next.
Take a deep breath, enjoy the spoils you see online, perhaps even take a little inspiration or tips, but most of all try and do what we gardeners are supposed to do best – have a little patience (which I know is much easier said than done at times).
The growing season is a long one and although you feel like you don’t have much to do right now and you are desperate to get started, trust me, in a few weeks time you will be sowing and growing so many plants there will not be enough hours in those long spring and summer days.
Before you know it we’ll be out in the cold again collecting those brussel sprouts and digging up parsnips, leeks and cabbages ready for our Christmas dinner plates again!
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