Starting Veggie seeds for fall

15 years ago

SO, today it is almost 90 here in so cal and I am thinking that I should be starting my broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower seeds indoors to set out in Sept. Do you think it is too soon? What else should I be starting now?

Thanks.

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Comments (5)

georgez5il
15 years ago
Cabbage, Kohlrabi, Direct sow lettuce, mustard green, radish, spinach, green onions, turnip
The vegi gardening forum may have other lists!
dicot
15 years ago
Socalgirl, I find September too soon for the brassicas - we still have scorching temps. I don't even plant those until late Oct/early November here in LA, then I set out another bunch of seedlings 6 weeks later. Same with the lettuce and spinach.

Now is actually my slowest time for seed germination. I take June and July off, since we can grow all winter long. Root veggies like radish, turnip, onions and garlic would be ok now.
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This is an email I sent to a neighbor who was asking the same questions: A good book to get is A Gardener's Companion for the San Joaquin Valley; it is published by the Master Gardens of Fresno County. They say to plant in August from seed: Basil Beans Beets Bok Choy Broccoli Cabbage carrot Cauliflower Chives Dill Endive Fennel Green Onions Kohlrabi Leeks Lettuce Mustard Peas Potatoes Rutabagas Spinach Squash Swiss Chard Turnips To plant in Sept. from plants and * from seed: Broccoli Cabbage Carrots* Cauliflower Chinese Cabbage Garlic Lettuce* Parsley* Peas* Potatoes Radish* Spinach* Sugar Snap Peas* In October: Beets* Broccoli Carrots* Cauliflower Garlic Lettuce* Onion sets Snow Peas* Spinach* Swiss Chard* Turnips*
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not sure when to start my fall veggies...help please?
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Time to Harvest for Broccoli started from transplants is listed as 55 - 85 days (quite a range) so if we have a mild start to winter you have 2 months of decent growth till December. I think you would have needed to plant out at the end of August to be sure of a November Harvest. If you plant now you might get some small florets in December, but IF they don't do their thing by then you will still have nice big plants to bloom in February. I have this dilemma also as the Tomatoes will hold on until November (at least) If your beans are still doing well I would leave them as they will like the cooler weather coming up. The zukes are probably suffering from powdery mildew and you won't miss them... Basil can be refreshed by cutting it way back and will also grow into November... If you cut things back there may be room to plant the transplants alongside the things you are keeping on for another month or so. Chad
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Hi Truscifi, I believe the correct answer is "none of the above." For the purpose of building the calculator, the date that I entered as the "Last Scorch Date" is the autumnal equinox, and this is the field that you can adjust to what holds true in your area. My only reference is the climate in Miami, and I noticed that right around the vernal equinox was when temperatures started rising and lettuces started bolting, etc. I also remember that I didn't start my seeds last year until the suffocating heat started to dwindle, which was in mid- to late-September. So, for my own purposes, I think I'll continue using the autumnal equinox as my Last Scorch Date, but if you're in central or north FL, the date you enter there should probably be earlier than that. Also, keep in mind that because my area does not frost, don't need to take frost dates into consideration, which you may need to do if you're further north. Specifically, the data that I believe will need further tweaking is the length of time before or after the Last Scorch Date when it is safe to set the plants out. VBM
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When to start veggie seeds
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Comments (14)
i don't use a chart or calendar... i think it's hard to err on the side of too early in planting seeds... too often i've had bad seeds or bad conditions and have had to restart a whole crop; starting early gives me that option. big healthy seedlings, planted as early as possible, are key to exploiting our two vegetable windows (late fall, early summer). i agree with you w/r/t garden pests and diseases and being too early; but you can hold plants for weeks as seedlings if you use a good seedling mix, shade, morning sun, dry areas under eaves, etc.. right now i have a bunch of large (5 and 6 inch) broc, chard and cauliflower seedlings in 4" pots, ready to go into the ground. but i won't have space for them until mid-september when i clear one of my sweet potato spots. i've started a bunch of lettuce seedlings indoors in turface and coir. it's too early to start them outdoors (too hot, soil's too active for their thin seedcoats and slow germination)... but in a couple of weeks i'll transplant them into buckets in the shade, and then in october into the garden... anyway, i'd rather be too early than too late. those dates on the ifas calendar are too late for me by a good two weeks.
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di_h
15 years ago
taking notes here, as I was thinking the same thing! I'm actually in a 'planning' phase. Figuring out where I want to put things.
edmac
15 years ago
Try using skewers to plant small seed when starting your plant trays or peat pellets. much cheaper than those $15.00 to $20.00 gadgets that are sold. AND it works good. Here's how there are 2 sizes of skewers the small one works great for small seed, cut off the sharp point for eye safety then cut it in half. Now (1)get a small bowel (2)a clean cloth the size of a wash cloth and (3)a coffee cup saucer. get the cloth soppin wet and place it in the bowel set it on you potting table then sprinkle a few seeds on the saucer and move the saucer or shake very gently to put space between the seed. Next pick up your 1/2 skewer touch it to the wet cloth and flick off any excess water. next touch it to one single seed and the wetness will cause the seed to stick well enough to lift and poke it into your peat pellet or growing medium and tuck soil over it 1/8 or 1/4 inch deep. that's it simple and when you get the swing of it you will just have to tell someone else how neat it works. Edmac
gardenall
13 years ago
Do most people go strongly by packet for weeks planted indoors before planting out? I am in Mississippi and would like to start broccoli....cauliflower...and collard seeds for fall when the time is right(late SEP or early OCT. plant out date).....THANKS

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Starting Veggie seeds for fall

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georgez5il

dicot

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