Hi guys n gals

[Moopmoop]

Today I've cleared the garden up of rubbish and repaired broken blowaways, cut the grass and emptied all of last years neglected tubs of compost. It seems like it's really late in the year to be just starting compared to last year but today was one of the first decent weather days I've had off work so far. I've also trimmed back last years strawberry runners and planted out potatoes.

I'm hoping that I'm going to be able to spend more time in the garden this year as I've got a new job and won't be out of the house from 7:30am - 6pm 5 days a week. Does anyone think there's anything I've left far too late to sow now? I'm not sure whether to bother with chilli's and aub's cos it's not very warm where I live and I don't have a greenhouse so I don't know if they'll have chance to catch up.

Any advice will be appreciated, thanks.

[Bigmallly]

It's early days yet Moopmoop, if you think it may be a little late to sow anything you may be able to pick up a nice plant from the garden centre.

[veggiechicken]

Hi Moop - good to see you again
According to the VC Manual of Gardening - its never too late to sow a seed - whatever it may be. Of course, it may not grow successfully but at least you've tried.
I don't grow chillies and aubs anyway but I'm sure everything else will be OK

[Moopmoop]

It's early days yet Moopmoop, if you think it may be a little late to sow anything you may be able to pick up a nice plant from the garden centre.

I thought about buying a few small chilli and aub plants from the gc anyway as I never seem to get anywhere from seed. Are they for sale yet? I haven' been anywhere to look.

[Martin H]

It's getting a bit late for onions, also tender stuff like tomatoes and peppers, but you're still fine for most normal stuff. There's another long weekend coming up shortly...

[Moopmoop]

Thanks VC, I've been around from time to time but I'm lazy and don't do much in the way of growing in the winter months, then the first few days of sunshine I remember how good it is to be outdoors spoaching about my garden. I really enjoyed being out there today and now I can't wait to get things going again. I read your post the other day about kale, how big a tub do I need to grow it? I have either curly kale or nero di toscana, I like the idea of being able to pick it leaf by leaf.

[veggiechicken]

I grow kale in the ground but I'm sure it would be OK in a pot as you can pick the leaves at any stage. The small leaves are tender enough to eat raw - in fact, I think they are in the mixed salad leaves you can buy in supermarkets.

[Moopmoop]

It's getting a bit late for onions, also tender stuff like tomatoes and peppers, but you're still fine for most normal stuff. There's another long weekend coming up shortly...

I can't remember when I planted my onions last year but I still got decent sized ones, I think I'll try them anyway then keep a diary of when I plant things and how they get on, I swear I'll do it every year then kick myself at times like these cos I forgot to last year. My peppers never work anyway so I think i'll try a plant or 2, and I'll still plant a few tomato seeds, even if it's just windowsill ones.