We’re well into spring and an unexpected freeze has already wiped out my first round of seedlings. It’s a bit defeatist to start from scratch, but it’s doable, even if we’re further into the season.
People often wonder if it’s too late to start seeds or plant or do anything in the garden, and the truth is, it’s rarely too late because we have so many options. Even if we start summer!
So, if you feel like you’ve fallen behind on your garden planning, put off yard work, or had a rough start to the season, this post is for you. I formulate what you box do if time is not on your side, but you still want to harvest a good harvest.
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Short season crops
Let’s start with crops that have a shorter ripening day. This is the number you see on your seed packet (usually listed as “days to maturity” or “days to harvest”). But don’t count on this number being exact, as I explained in my other post on understanding the variables that affect plant maturity.
First you need to know the first expected frost date in your area (which you can find with the frost date search tool). Count back from that date to today, then subtract another three weeks or so (to account for the shorter, cooler days in the fall, which slow plant growth).
Now, use it that number to determine approximately how many days you have left in your growing season. This will help you choose the right crops that will produce (or mature) in time before the weather changes.
Don’t worry if it looks like you have less than 100 days. Many crops other than leafy greens can be grown in a short amount of time, and my favorites (below) mature in well under 100 days!
(See mine complete catalog of short season, early ripening tomatoes in this post.)
Direct sowing
At this point, you don’t save time by starting seeds indoors, so you can redirect that effort to starting seeds directly in the garden. The ground has probably warmed up favorable temperatures for seed germinationso put them in the ground right away (as long as your soil is friable and functional).
Many types of cool weather Seeds can be sown directly before the last frost dateincluding:
- Peas
- Radishes
- Beetroot
- carrots
- Lettuce
- Rocket
- Spinach
- Chard
- Cabbage
- Cabbage
- Pak Choi
- cilantro
- Anise
Most of the crops above can be direct sown by mid-summer if you want consistent harvests, so a late start won’t hold you back. Continue sowing seeds until it gets too warm to reliably produce these cool-season plants.
Once you’re safely past the last frost, you can sow these warm-weather crops directly into the garden:
- Tomatoes
- cucumbers
- melons
- Squash
- Corn
- Beans
Are you surprised that tomatoes are on the direct seed list? It may sound counterintuitive when we are so used to starting tomato seeds indoors. But if you’ve ever seen tomatoes volunteering in a compost pile, growing in sidewalk cracks, or some other random place, you know they’re perfectly capable of sprouting outside once the soil warms.
Direct-sown tomatoes are also often more robust because they have adapted to their environment and are less stressed. Proof: Check these out volunteer cherry trees that once grew wild in my (former) California garden every year.
Sometimes I have even volunteered to move tomato seedlings from one area of my garden to another. So don’t be afraid to sow some seeds directly in your garden if you still have enough warm days to grow a 60-day tomato variety.
Transplants (plant starts)
If you’re starting much later than you’d like, your next option is to buy transplants from a nursery or other gardener who may have extra stuff they want to get rid of. (Facebook Marketplace or your local gardening group is a great place to look.)
In fact, I often hit the garden centers near me mid-season because that’s when they start putting transplants on clearance, hoping to move the rest of their stock. It’s a good way to score plants cheaply or just to have a backup.
Sure, transplants are more expensive than seeds when you compare the cost of one plant to a whole packet of seeds that can produce dozens of plants, but I look at it this way: It’s still less expensive than buying organic vegetables from the market.
Late in the season, most plants are picked from the store, so you’re working with a more limited selection. Choose wisely.
The transplant must:
- You look healthy (not cachectic or root bound)
- Have a strong stem (not a super tall, fusiform stem)
- Be pest and disease free (no holes or yellowing leaves)
Remember that the healthiest plant on the shelf may not always be the prettiest plant. Don’t just go for the tomato start that is already flowering or fruiting (indicator that it can be stressed). Buy the plant that’s smaller, but otherwise lush and healthy—it’ll catch on once it’s in your garden.
Make sure you transplants are properly cured before planting them outside. Even if they’ve appeared in an outdoor garden center space, they’re often still covered or shaded, so you want to make sure you’re not adding more stress that your plants can’t handle.
Don’t get stuck on what you “should” do
Now is not the time to worry about the things you have you should done ahead of time, such as testing the soil, preparing the garden bed or planning your crop rotation. Just pour a few inches of compost on top, plant, water and call it good. Perfection can often hold you back when things might be better left to nature.
Just see how it goes, and more than likely, you’ll be able to pick something up this year!
