is it to late to plant a veggy garden ?

[earth-angels]

i don't know much about planting and growing my own veggies, but totally into it. We just moved into a new development and our yard is finaly ready and the grass has been put in and now i can build my veggie garden.
Is it to late to plant seeds for veggies ??
Should i just put flowers in it this year and wait till next year for veggie garden ?
When should you start planting seeds every year ??
I'm looking to grow the following:
Spinach
Lettuce
Carrots
Cucumber
Potatoes
Strawberries

[Guest]

Most people will tell you that, yes, it is too late for some of the items you listed. But technically, no, it's not too late ... if you pick the right items to plant. I'm about to plant another round of 'greens' from seed (spinach and a variety of other lettuce-type greens).

I recently bought an awesome book from Salt Spring Seeds and highly recommend it because it shows you what you can grow Fall through Spring for our area. It's called, 'Year-Around Harvest: Winter Gardening on the Coast'. Here's the info from their website:

This is an newly updated edition, packed with tips on how to keep fresh food on the table all year.

This manual fills a gap in the gardening literature by showing how gardeners in the mild climate of the West Coast can enjoy fresh vegetables and fruit all year. The emphasis is on how to grow over 30 kinds of hardy salad greens, root crops and other vegetables that can be harvested directly from the garden, fall through spring (without a coldframe or greenhouse). The author describes how to choose varieties for the longest harvest, when to plant each crop and gives simple methods for protecting crops during cold snaps. She also covers planning winter crops to fit in with summer planting schedules to make the most efficient use of garden beds.

The manual includes a chapter on curing and storing methods for summer grown vegetables and fruit that keep well for fresh eating over the winter. There is a chapter on managing common pests organically and a chapter on simple methods for saving and storing seeds. Rounding out the contents are lists of references and seed suppliers, an index and an 'A-to-Z' section with cultural details for key winter crops.

$15.00 (postage extra)

It is SUCH a great book. This will be my first year growing food through the Fall & Winter and I'm so excited!

p.s. I ordered this book online in the evening and it arrived on my doorstep the very next day along with the seeds I ordered. I was impressed!

[Guest]

Almost forgot, here's the link to the book: http://www.saltspringseeds.com/catalog/books.cfm

[Peter]

We’re still planting and like Martha Mommy plant all year round. Last year we were eating salad greens and other vegetables from the garden past Christmas and gave fresh picked herb bundles to our neighbours as gifts. Now is also the time to get over wintering plants started. Another book recommendation is Carolyn Herriot’s new book, Zero Mile Diet. She’ll be speaking at Organic Festival next weekend. (I’ll post a contest for 2 free tickets later in the week) Carolyn borrowed the name of the book, with permission, from Dan Jason’s Zero Mile Diet seed kit. The Good Planet Co on Fort Street is now selling Dan Jason’s seeds in small kits as well.

Elliot Coleman writes some good books about winter gardening (in the snow) and succession gardening.

Good sources for seeds meant for our growing area include but not limited to Salt Sping Seed Co, The Garden Path (Carolyn Herriot) and West Coast Seeds. These last two will also be at Organic Festival next weekend along with a few other local seed companies but can also be found around town.

[LoriB]

I'm about to put in round 2 of some things as well. I say go for it. I'd be surprised if you got strawberries to work out but otherwise I think you'll be fine. Our growing season is long enough that most of those things you've listed should have enough time to mature before it gets cold.
Plus, with this warm weather that is apparently coming the speed of growth should pick up!

[LisaP]

I think you could definitely get spinach or lettuce to work, carrots probably not. Strawberries if you bought plants that were fairly big already, maybe already growing fruit it would work. You could probably get peas to grow as well and tomatoes if you bought big plants.
I actually just planted my garden a few weeks ago, the latest that I've ever planted it and already I've got spinach that is almost big enough to pick baby spinach sized leaves off of and my peas are a few inches tall. I know I'll get something from the garden a least.
Never hurts to try

[gill846]

Here's my answer:
Strawberries: June-bearing, too late, everbearing, might still work, but regardless, they'll be there next year (I prefer June-bearing cause you get lots all at once--everbearing kinda trickle in, but keep going all summer)

Lettuce and Spinach: not too late, BUT, if the weather warms up, they will bolt (ie produce flowers and neglect the leaves) and are not likely to be all that yummy. But you can plant them again in Sep.

Carrots: shouldn't be too late at all. Buy a variety with a shorter days-to-harvest

Potatoes: might be too late, might not. Doesn't hurt to try

Cucumber: probably not too late, although if the weather doesn't warm up, none of us will get any cukes!

Other things that should work: radishes, beans, basil, parsnips, squash and in late aug you can plant garlic and onions for the following year. I wouldn't bother with tomatoes--not only is it probably too late, but given the weather, I don't think this is going to be a very good year for them at all!

[secretgarden]

Thanks for all the info!!! Wow

Anyone ever planted horseradish? We were talking about it at dinner the other night and I would love to try to plant and make my own horseradish sauce. I know I can google, but with all the smart ladies here I'll probably get some better 'localized' information