Too late to start seeds?

I live in Corpus and was wondering if it is too late to start seeds for spring planting? Usually I start seeds late Jan. and am ready to plant them in mid to late Feb but this year was much colder and I just didn't get around to it. I just received my seeds from Territorial and am wondering if I should start them now or wait and start them for late summer planting. I have carrots, tomatoes, watermelon, soybeans, pole beans, seed potatoes and a variety of lettuces. I am thinking I need to wait on the lettuce for sure because it will be HOT before too long.

TIA!
Laura

Hello Laura, I am not familiar with your zone's weather, but I would say that you are probably safe to plant everything except may be the lettuce. Lettuce will bolt and go to seed, even if it is small, as soon as the weather turns hot. I am not sure about the potatoes, but if you don't plant them, they will probably be lost, since they don't keep that long, so I think you have nothing to lose by trying, and you could gain a lot in the process.
Josephine.

Thanks Josephine, that's what I figured. This years garden is a learning experience so even if my seeds don't do well all is not lost! I know what not to do next year!

Laura

Laura~
Looks like your garden is off to a GREAT start! I am using raised beds for the first time this year. I am also trying square foot gardening methods. I had a late garden my first year, and got a wonderful late summer and fall harvest.
~Tamara

Hi Laura,

I just discovered that dovey is your mother! I met her on the Garden Art forum, and your dad too. I'm pleased to make your acquaintance. :-)

So.... how did you garden grow? (More specifically, how did the seeds go?) I am really awful at growing anything from seed, but am trying to learn, so I'm curious how this went.

Maggie

Oh my goodness, I haven't checked the site in a while.

Anyway, all the squash/melon like plants and okra started from seed very well. The corn did good. All the those I sowed directly outside in my soil.

I started currant tomatoes in peat pots and then planted outside. That did well too. Oh and some decent radishes!

They all grew fantastic....at first. Then the bugs came followed by the birds and the squirrels and then more bugs. When the bugs had their fill the humidity made it perfect for mold, mildew and other fungusy like diseases. I tried all the natural remedies, then I moved on to the chemical stuff. I lost the fight. It has been a discouraging year! I think I even called my mom (Dovey) once or twice nearly in tears over the loss of this or that baby plant or nearly ready corn.

I give up on vegetables, for now! I am going to turn my beds into herbs, roses and other pretty things. I will try the veggies in my earthboxes but even those were a flop for me. I must not have inherited my mom's green thumb. On the bright side, I have the fattest bugs and healthiest squirrels in the neighborhood!

Laura

LOL! You are not alone!!

Try your earthboxes again next year. The instructions say to cover with the black side out, but many people have learned that in TX you really need to have the white side out, so as not to cook the roots. I'm trying my earthbox next year, but I'm not sure what I'll try to grow... probably tomatoes.

Laura, don't give up completely on your veggies. There are always different outcomes each year, so many different reasons, not necessarily your thumb. Do you realize how many bugs were brought in just by all the hurricanes? Since you had bugs well established this year, you could very well have predaotrs established next year. :-)

But roses and herbs are a lot of fun too! I think i'll try some herbs next year. I planted some this year, and i have a few that actually didn't die LOL

tf

Thanks for the encouragement! I have noticed way more dragonflies this year than any other year and I think they are suppose to be good at eating bugs. Thank goodness because the mosquitos were going to carry off my 3 year old!

I have had good luck with lavender, rosemary, geranium and mint. All those hard to kill herbs :) The lavender is threatening to take over the whole bed it is in. I go out about once a week to trim it and remind it to share with the other herbs in the garden.

Laura

:-)

i was just amazed today to se that i have a rosemary plant still iving. i thought it died this summer when i coudln't water. haven't watered it since and we don't get much rain. so i guess it is a keeper, along with a couple of silver mound NANA plnats, a kind of artemisia? so i figure if those herbs are still there, i will just have to add some more! i even got starter seeds from an herb round robin. i am about ready to give away all my veggie and flower seeds, but somehow i have managed to not go over the edge LOL

have you made potpourri out of you lavendar cuttings? i just read where lavender is good at keeping moths away...

tf

What kind of lavender are you growing? Our area is usually so humid and rainy that it's hard to find a variety that does well here. I planted several types this year: Goodwin Creek, Fern Leaf, Grey Form, and Lavender Lady. Of course, we've turned out to have a drought this year, so it will be interesting to see which ones make it once we finally get our "normal" weather back. The Goodwim Creek looks best overall, as far as the plant, but the Fern Leaf is about ready to bloom again!

Another herb I've had great success with is basils. I planted them in pots, but they've done so well I'm going to tuck them into my rose bed. I have four different types. I don't cook with them (I barely cook any more since my nest is empty), but I love the look and smell of them!

Maggie, Fern Leaf is what is doing so well here. It has never stopped blooming all summer. I planted English Lavendar and I like the smell of that one better but it didn't make it.

I forgot about basil, my basil is very enthusiastic! I have cinnamon and regular basil growing. I just timmed them way back because they were getting unruly. They have already doubled in size again. I am wondering if they will keep growing all year.

TamaraFaye, I have not made potpourri but that is a good idea. I have used it in some sachets and dream pillows and used it in incense. It doesn't smell as nice burning though, smells kind of like burning vegetation ;-) Maybe I should put some in when I pack away clothes to keep critters out.

Any idea what repels flies? The flies in the house are making me crazy!!

Laura

no, WHEN YOU FIND OUT LET ME KNOW! oops sorry bout caps. i am so close to getting on of those cathers you use in a barn!!! y-uuuuu-ck!

I know this sounds crazy but the owner of a restaurant that we go to eat catfish swears by this and uses it on his outdoor dining patio. What he does is fill a plastic bag about 1/2-3/4 full of water. (these are the freezer bags that have the twist ties) He hangs them around the patio, about 5-6 ft. apart. I don't know what he hangs them with, maybe a wire clothes hanger or something like that. He said that keeps the flies away. I haven't tried that personally as we aren't bothered by them. Wouldn't hurt to give it a try though. Let me know if it works for you.

Shirley