Lidl's had lots of plants in on Thursday.  Tomatoes had little thumb size fruit on. My strawberries planted a week or so ago have got flowers on. They are off the ground by 4 foot and in a sheltered position in a planter I made from pallets.  Hefty thing it is... My beans are going in the shed at night... Just waiting until next month to start my " Little willie " chillies off.

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Lidl's had lots of plants in on Thursday.  Tomatoes had little thumb size fruit on. My strawberries planted a week or so ago have got flowers on. They are off the ground by 4 foot and in a sheltered position in a planter I made from pallets.  Hefty thing it is... My beans are going in the shed at night... Just waiting until next month to start my " Little willie " chillies off.

Little Willie?  Mooning on frosty nights?  

Last Autumn I moved a large potted chillie plant into our front porch to ripen the fruits. The plant eventually died off but I left it and I've been picking the chilliest all winter.  

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Gardeners generally say not to plant out bedding until the end of May when there's little chance of frosts. However, I do break that rule most years by a couple of weeks but it depends on what part of the UK you live in anyway.  I usually do my baskets up on 1st May and protect them at night if the forecast is cold. 

What's on sale in supermarkets isn't an indicator of when they can be planted out and I think they get earlier with their sales of bedding plants, which is fine if you can protect them from frosts. Or maybe they get them on sale early so they can sell you another lot when the first lot die of frost damage.  I would keep an eye on what your local garden centre has for sale although they are generally much less expensive in supermarkets. 

Supermarkets and corner shops indeed have bedding on sale now, but the best local garden centre is deliberately not stocking it for another fortnight

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Looks like I better protect my Musa Basjoo tonight as we may be in for a touch of frost , been chancing my arm this year with the Banana having unveiled it last month ...I usually wait until May, 

Yes never plant out until we get to June my Dad used to say though by mid May around here it's usually ok. Certainly loads of bedding plants in garden centres etc right now and people buying them. It's a risk of course to plant them out but when they have gone they've gone as they say. With the dry and chilly night time conditions it is a significant risk to plant out even in the south.

On a different note many oak trees in leaf now but ash still bare around here. Pollen levels were high over the weekend I think with cars covered in pollen and my hay fever uncomfortable yesterday. Yet the pollen forecast on the met office site said low levels.

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Supermarkets and corner shops indeed have bedding on sale now, but the best local garden centre is deliberately not stocking it for another fortnight

I'd say the garden centre is wise and unless you can protect them from frost don't buy them yet. Those in supermarkets won't have been hardened off properly and will be most at risk. I know garden centres are more expensive but they're the specialists and will have at least started the hardening process, whereas supermarket plants will have come straight from a greenhouse.  

Buy the cheaper plants from supermarkets by all means, I do, but they will need extra care. Even cooler weather, not necessarily frosts, will check them and slow their growth. So you'll gain nothing from planting early and you may risk losing them. 

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And of course bedding plants themselves vary enormously in their hardiness. Primula and viola types are frost-resistant to a point, but your Busy Lizzies will be finished in a grass frost.

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The runner beans had bubble wrap on top and moved into the shed last night. The low outside was 4.7c. The shed was warmer at 7.0c. I shall leave them in there now to bring them on...

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Leaves on my grape vines are starting to unfurl and my mum's has flower buds on it, although it's in a more sheltered position and South facing. My blackcurrants have finished flowering and so has my plum tree. Jam this autumn! 

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The runner beans had bubble wrap on top and moved into the shed last night. The low outside was 4.7c. The shed was warmer at 7.0c. I shall leave them in there now to bring them on...

ARTzeman,What runner beans do you grow? I usually use 'Moonlight' which is supposed to be self fertilizing but this year I'm going to add a more traditional 'Scarlet Emperor' to the list .   

String less Scarlet Emperor for the flowers and the beans. All-time Favourite ...    

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With 3 consecutive frosts (going down to -3.3C last night), it looks like my 2 (dwarf stock) cherry trees have turned from blossoming promise to develop black heads inside which suggests there may not be much fruit at all this year - if any. Shame really.

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Going to bubble wrap and cover the fruit trees which have bud and blossom on for tonight. God job they are in tubs. So not taller than 5ft....

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Hope there is a lack of frosts now. Took bubble wrap off the flower buds on the fruit bushes. Should be ok if it is going to warm up....

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Now that those wicked frosts are done I thought I'd take stock. Radishes, turnips and cabbages in the ground were not bothered, nor were the broad beans (no surprise there) or the asparagus- although there are only two spears up this year. Peas are fine: I've planed half in the beds now, and will use the others as pea-shoot salad. Runners are fine and transferred four of those to large pots where they'll stay until perhaps the end of June. Everything else remains in pots & trays, including the courgettes, cucumbers, tomatoes and chillies, in case we need to run for the shed!

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Looks like being in central England has faired well for your plantings. No showing of my beans yet. Only a few cosmos have made it.  All the herbs are doing well so no new plants needed. Wish the raspberry canes would get a move on. There are some strawberry  plants that have kept their flowers. The lilies in the same planter are over  a foot high so they should do well this year....

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Runner  beans now have their canes and already some need extra twine around. raspberries have not done anything yet. Still a chance for them to start this month . Fuchsias are planted in the hanging basket and on its hook. Petunias  are planted in TWO tubs and flowering ok. Rosemary and lavendula are also in flower and attracting the bees. Apple mint has now put on a spurt so have  the garlic and fennel plants. The chooks love the fennel and leaves from them. All last years herbs are still growing well and being used. .... 

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It's generally considered safe to plant out tender bedding plants at the start of June and I've finally got my baskets planted. I won't be planting my usual veg due to time constraints with other commitments just now but my garlic is doing well and promises a good crop. The plum tree is laden and looking good for jam making but the gojiberry is looking quite sad. 

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The runner beans are certainly liking the rains of the past few days .Have been shooting up the canes. Going to get more seeds to sow for another tub .. They last well after blanching and stored in the freezer. The recently planted basket an tubs are doing well. They are in a sheltered spot so not affected by any sudden gusts. .....

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Having some trouble with my runners this year, I set about 30 seeds two weeks ago and only two have germinated so far