Thanks for the input. Some lettuce, spinach, & onion seedlings emerged the last couple days during a slow but consistent rain here in MD. It has now been 7 days since sowing, so timing seems right. Not expecting to see broccoli come up for at least another week, but why is direct seeding problematic?

Just planted some carrots and peas a couple days ago, so hopefully no problems there.

For my zone 7, planting broccoli transplants works best. The transplants can be started indoors 6 weeks prior to planting outside or bought at local vendors. Planting broccoli seed outside can work but it doesn't work well for me. It gets hot here fast so planting transplants early works best as broc likes cool spring-like weather. Also, broccoli should be spaced 18" apart for good head production, otherwise smaller plants and smaller heads will result from too close spacing. I plant broc transplants again in late August for a fall harvest as they mature while the days turn cooler.

On your carrots, they will be the slowest to germinate which gives weed seeds more time to smother them out. So keep an eye on the weeds there and pluck them out early on to give the carrot roots a chance to grow undisturbed by later weeding.

thanks for the follow-up. so it's not about germination problems for broccoli, but about length of time between "too cold to plant" and "too hot to mature?" I'm on the border of 6b/7a in central MD, so I'll probably have the same issue, especially this year when the ground wasn't ready to work until later. I'm using Di Cicco seeds from Seedsnow.com and planted a couple holes on 4/2... planning to plant the remaining 4 holes today. The packet says maturing in 65-80 days, so you're thinking it'll probably be too warm by the time these mature? Will they just bolt and I'll have to harvest before maturity? are they edible before full maturity? Thanks again.

I can't really predict what your results might be due to weather fluxuations, they might do well for you. But if you're looking at only 6 plants you may want to consider transplants for a fall crop and again next spring?

btw, carrots do well as a fall crop too, even sweeter than summer carrots imho. Just plant them no later than the last week in Aug in a very sunny location.

Could there be a point at which I should just harvest the broccoli even if not mature because the air temp is just getting too hot? Or is it a plant that's only really edible at full maturity?

I wanted to start everything earlier, but the community garden I'm using delayed opening from 3/15 until the end of March. And it closes 10/31, so I need to plant fall crops early enough to beat that. My carrot seeds say 70 day maturity, so I was thinking I should plant the last round by mid-August, but should I give them longer than 70 days in the cool fall weather?

I don't know your climate or soil conditions, but I seldom water anything in the early spring. the soil is usually moist and with enough rain will do fine most of the time. over watering can cause a crust. I would rather water once a week if needed than water everyday.

"And it closes 10/31, so I need to plant fall crops early enough to beat that. My carrot seeds say 70 day maturity, so I was thinking I should plant the last round by mid-August, but should I give them longer than 70 days in the cool fall weather?"

Oh, I didn't realize you are using a community garden. So you are saying that you can't use it or get into it to harvest anything after Halloween? The great thing about fall carrots is that they are havestable from about Halloween all the way thru Jan or Feb (or until the ground gets frozen solid). Here they reach maximum size by Thxgiving. Once mature, fall carrots use the cool/cold soil as a fridge to keep them preserved until needed, or until the ground is solid as ice. Covering them up with 3-4" leaves before the worse freeze hits allows them to be "digable" for even longer.

On the summer broc, heads start off small but can be picked at any time up to their maximium size. I'd leave them be to grow larger as long as the plants appear healthy and happy and bug free (cabbage loopers love hot weather & broc too). My transplants reach full size here sometime in June.

btw, it's a shame that community gardens have a seasonal time limit. Besides fall carrots there are several veggies that do well in the fall and could be harvested up to Xmas such as kale, collards, cabbages, spinach, beets, turnips, and maybe even lettuce and peas if the late season weather is mild enough.

I don't understand why your Community Garden 'closes'. It seems such a waste of resources. Even in the Winter there are jobs to do weather permitting. Our allotments are open all year round and we keep them as long as we pay the rent.

You may want to plant the carrots in early August at the latest. The cooler temps that come with the onset of fall combined with the decreasing daylight will increase the days to maturity (which are only a general guideline to begin with).

Rodney

jnj, I have clay soil, so probably retains moisture well, but I've read that seeds and seedlings need constantly moist soil. I know a less frequent deep watering encourages stronger root growth, but I thought that was once they're well-established. I watered Friday afternoon and am out of town until Tuesday evening, so I have a friend watering either this evening and tomorrow evening, or just once tomorrow afternoon. Supposed to get some rain Tuesday morning. Sounds like you think they'd be fine without water from Friday til Tuesday.

Thanks again for the input vgkg. The info I got says the plots are rented 3/15 through 10/31 and that all plots will "be cleared of any and all debris/material by October 31st." It also says parks & rec is responsible for tilling at beginning & end of the growing season. Yeah, so that along with delaying the opening a couple weeks and not having water available due to a water line break, and then the 15x15 plots actually being more like 13.5x14, it's not a perfect situation, but my options are limited living in a townhouse.

Regarding carrots, I was planning have a total of nine 3' rows stagger-planted over a period of about 2 months, and then replant the rows throughout the summer as I harvest them. I guess I'll stick with that plan and just harvest all remaining on 10/31 Regardless of size. I'll also try to give my other fall crops a bit more time to mature by 10/31.