HELP- Is it TOO LATE to grow Green Veg seeds indoors? (3 month Delay!

8 years ago

Hello gardeners

I am going to start growing fruit and veg, starting with indoor sowing seeds
kept indoors. Then after they have grown, move them outside.

This is about Growing in the UK, Midlands. - Growing Outdoors - NOT In a greenhouse, but outdoors in the garden

( I am on about mainly growing green veg cucumbers, cabbage, celery, apples, broccoli etc)

- which ALL are supposed to have been grown between March- April.

It is the first time I am planting ever.

A Delay problem has occurred, so have some questions:

Here goes
Some of these veg have been advised to be grown in MARCH - APRIL 3 months ago)
It is now June, and I haven't started anything yet.

I have the seeds arriving in days, and have trays, so can start.

so basically I am 3 months delayed, and still want to sow/grow then inside in indoor plant trays
and then move them outside in months. - Growing Outdoors - NOT In a greenhouse, but outdoors in the garden.

-The main question is, will this 2-3 month delay cause problems (in 6 months time) to the harvested veg,
which will be harvested in 6+ months, and could the delay affect their quality?
(compared to if they were grown in March - April?

a) Is it too late to plant them indoors 2-3 months later then planned?
(given our uk weather is poor)

b) What are the potential problems that could occur, if they are planted
2-3 months late?
-delays moving them outdoors? - what other problems would this occur?

c) Could this delay (planting in and outdoors) - effect the quality of the crops?

d) Have you done this before - grow something 3 months later than advised?
what problems did you find, or was it fine?

e) Some seeds, have 1000 seeds in the packet. If many are not used this year
and they are kept in the packet, then can they be preserved to be used next year? or they will go bad

f) With this delay of 3 months, will the 3 months of forward weather delay cause any potential problems, to the crops?
-because the weather will be 3months shifted towards autum/winter.

g) If I do plant these veg seeds indoors, 3 months late then what additional advise and guidelines would you advise to make sure they grow efficiently?
(besides get in a time machine and go back 3 months lol)

Can you answer in a) b) c) d) e) f) g) format,

Thank you very much

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Comments (5)

zzackey
8 years ago
You can keep your seeds in the fridge in either a jar or a ziplock bag. They should last for years that way.
zed25 thanked zzackey
grubby_AZ Tucson Z9
8 years ago
D) I plant things at the wrong time quite regularly, trying to take advantage of weather quirks. There's nothing wrong with it unless you're relying on a crop to come in gangbusters in spite of conventional local wisdom. Go ahead and plant some of everything (saving most of the seed for "proper" times next season) and you will learn a lot about which rules you can disregard and which ones you cannot. Plants don't follow any silly little calendar, they follow the weather and the ground temperatures and the day-length hours. The calendar is just for keeping track.

When you start to think that your local weather "is poor", think on it being 104F/40C here (we're expecting a rain in early July) and count your blessings. Every climate has 'em.
zed25 thanked grubby_AZ Tucson Z9
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bardamu_gw
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Agree with others. Wanted to add that sowing indoors is something done to get a head start on the season before the weather allows proper germination outdoors. Since you are starting now you can save yourself the trouble and slow directly in the ground. If you want to sow in pots to protect seedlimgs, you are able to keep them outside in a protected area. Here in new england even eggplant is germinating outdoors this time of year (seeds like warmth to germ). You may also want to look up the seeds preferred temperature during germ. Peas, for example, have lower chances of proper germination in upper temperatures. But don't stress about it too much. Also seed packets may tell you days to maturity. Again though, might as well go for it. If not everything works perfectly, the experience really counts for the long run more than anything, especially when you are starting out.
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
8 years ago
I am not answering a, b, c, etc. because I just have some general points to make.

First off - we are lucky over here in that our seasons are very elastic. If you look at the backs of seed packets there is often a period of 3 months over which you can sow seeds. So don't count your delay from the first possible sowing date. It is often far too cold and wet to start sowing in March. Count it from the end and you are only a couple of weeks out.

2. You can't reliably grow apples from seed - are you sure that's what you meant? (You can grow apple trees from seed but there is no way of knowing if they will have fruit worth eating and you won't find that out for years.)

2. What sort of Broccoli is it? Summer or Winter? I haven't sown my Purple Sprouting or Kale yet. I should have done but I know from experience that it really doesn't matter that much. I'll just get the crop a bit later next year. I'm still picking last year's.

3. Celery is very tricky for a beginner. You can certainly try sowing it now. Spring has been quite cool so give it a go. I don't even try to grow it now. It's such a faff and we don't eat that much so it isn't worth it to me.

4. Cucumbers are touch and go outdoors. You can still sow inside and transplant into the ground. Or you can sow outside under a jam jar or plastic bottle.

5. There are cabbages for all seasons so you need to follow the instructions for the ones you have.

I suggest you Google each of your vegetables and 'RHS' to get instructions for each type. Here's an example: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/vegetables/cucumbers

I would also suggest you direct sow some easy stuff like Peas, Runner Beans and Lettuce because you have picked some challenging types for your first attempts and it would be nice to get some successes. You can also start some Courgettes under a jar or indoors. People are only just planting them out now so you are not too late.

p.s. note that most people on this forum are in the US. Many of their seasons are much more sharply delineated than ours. Many of them have far hotter summers than we do and far colder winters. For example, you cannot germinate Aubergines outdoors here, at least not until about mid July, under a jar, when it will be too late to get any fruit. In fact you can't really grow them outdoors at all with any degree of success. When US posters talk about 'cool weather crops' they are talking about stuff we can grow throughout the summer. UK seed packets don't give days to maturity. Given our weather that could easily be 100% out. I still have my central heating on and am still sowing peas.
digdirt2
8 years ago
Oh good I was really hoping floral picked up on this one. Best source on UK questions. :)

I can only repeat that you have picked some challenges to grow and there are easier things for new gardeners. You must know your specific variety needs not just a vegetable in general. So name your specific varieties with questions.

And the seeds are good for many years in most cases when stored properly.

Dave

PS: forget about apples

HELP- Is it TOO LATE to grow Green Veg seeds indoors? (3 month Delay!

Comments (5)

zzackey

grubby_AZ Tucson Z9

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