Suggestions please!

[On the Moors]

We started gardening about four years ago when I retired. Our gardens are landscaped (wildlife/woodland) so we grow in a smallish greenhouse and tubs/troughs on hard standing. We have a small piece of land that we call the compost heap but its really where we empty out our tubs and pile up surplus soil. A relative has been on holiday, called at a garden centre and presented us with a collection of about 25 different seeds and seed trays. Very kind, but I've never done seeds before. I just wonder if anyone can suggest what we could start off now and which would be suitable for planting out later. Some of the seeds were salad types which I'm use to, but the rest were:


Carrots
Cauliflower
Kale
Beetroot
Broccoli
Cabbage
Leeks
Onion (3 types)
Sweetcorn
Swiss Chard
Turnip

I have tried looking these up on Google but just seem to get bogged down.

We live about 750 feet up on the West side of The Pennines so it can get a bit cold, blowy and wet in Autumn

 

[Meadowlark]

I would say on your list everything could be started now except sweetcorn...of course depending on when your first frost date is.

Determine when that first frost date is, then check the days to maturity on each item on your list, and each item which has a days to maturity at or less than the time to the first frost date is good to go.

You can of course gamble on that decision...as many of us routinely do. Sometimes we get lucky, sometimes we don't.

However, each item on your list, except sweetcorn can tolerate relatively low temps even below the frost threshold so myself, I would definitely be a gambler and go it whenever possible.

 

[On the Moors]

Thanks Meadowlark, I'll try one or two this week.

 

[Owdboggy]

Sorry but most of those would be better left until spring. Sweet Corn would not produce cobs in the time left before winter. Carrots ditto, Beetroot you might just about get away with unless winter comes early. Onions are definitely a spring sowing seed. Of the brassicas, it is a bit late for Cauliflower, Kale, and Broccoli unless it is a winter growing type.
Leeks? Maybe. Swiss Chard probably.
Look on the backs of the seed packets, there is usually info on them as to the optimum time for sowing. It is usually a list of months with sowing times highlighted.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I reckon you probably could manage carrots still, depending which carrots and what for. A quick growing variety like Nantes would probably give you a crop of small salad carrots by October. Main crop carrots like Autumn King would probably make enough growth to over winter and be ready for harvest about april/may. A little bit iffy given your location, but worth a try as they usually give you so many carrot seed in a packet and you should have some left for Spring. Carrots don't germinate easily, cover the ground with a bit of board or plastic to keep the moisture consistent until they show.
Half way up the Pennines is somewhere half way between East Texas and Alaska, Meadowlark, maybe edging more towards Alaska

 

[skinyea]

dont know anything about your climate. But seeds safe.

I would start slow this year. Maybe chard ,Kale and Turnips. all fairly easy to grow for a new gardener.

research everything else and then plant what you want next spring after learning.

good luck!!!

 

[Meadowlark]

Here is a list of lowest tolerated temps in my personal experience per veggie:

Onions...10 deg F (-12 C)
Carrots...14 deg F (-10 C)
Kale...14 deg F (-10C)
Beets...10 deg F (-12 C)
Cabbage...23 deg F (-5 C)
Leeks...10 deg F (-12C)
Sweetcorn...32 deg f (0 C)
Swiss Chard...18 deg F (- 8 C)
Turnip...14 deg f (-10 C)

I'm talking about brief excursions into those lows and rebounds above freezing, not sustained low temps which would be fatal to virtually all.

This is actual hands-on experience and why I suggested you could try any/all except sweetcorn subject to the date of freezing temps in your area. All of those listed can withstand frost conditions except sweetcorn.

We're talking about risking gifted seeds. It is a great learning opportunity and one I wouldn't pass on.

 

[On the Moors]

Sorry but most of those would be better left until spring. Sweet Corn would not produce cobs in the time left before winter. Carrots ditto, Beetroot you might just about get away with unless winter comes early. Onions are definitely a spring sowing seed. Of the brassicas, it is a bit late for Cauliflower, Kale, and Broccoli unless it is a winter growing type.
Leeks? Maybe. Swiss Chard probably.
Look on the backs of the seed packets, there is usually info on them as to the optimum time for sowing. It is usually a list of months with sowing times highlighted.

Thanks for all the replies. There are suggested times for planting on the seeds and we seem to have missed most of the relevant dates. These dates tend to contradict dates on Google and don't seem to take account of the climate here. It was down to 5c outside the other night, and we had the central heating on in August!

OH has reminded me that when we have previously bought plugs for Autumn planting that none of these were successful.

I think that I will leave it until spring and start some of the seeds off in the greenhouse.

 

[DiggersJo]

If your greenhouse is heated that would be fine, if not (or you can start some earlier) a bright window sill works. We only do a few cucumber, climbing beans and courgettes these days and mainly for the family. These we start early April on the windowsill and out in a small plastic greenhouse when warm enough. Any flowers we do the same, but a little later. We are in the Holme Valley so not too far away weather wise, but guessing not quite as high up!

 

[On the Moors]

If your greenhouse is heated that would be fine, if not (or you can start some earlier) a bright window sill works. We only do a few cucumber, climbing beans and courgettes these days and mainly for the family. These we start early April on the windowsill and out in a small plastic greenhouse when warm enough. Any flowers we do the same, but a little later. We are in the Holme Valley so not too far away weather wise, but guessing not quite as high up!

Yes, it's heated.

It's surprising what a difference to the weather even a smallish change in height can make. To go down to the centre of the village is a drop of 150 feet. It can be snowing here but it will be raining in the village. My sister moved from the highest part of the village to the lower part and notices a difference. We are also growing in tubs and troughs so that doesn't help.

Too much against us I'm afraid.

I think that I can start some of the seeds in February so I'll wait until then.

 

[Soiled]

The times for planting and recommendations for seasonal vegetables often don't take real climate into account. They are written for some climate that is considered to be "usual" or "normal". Here in Texas, generic planting recommendations are often quite faulty, because they presume that one lives further north where the climate is more moderate. Tomatoes are a good example of that. Here, we plant out tomatoes in February, after the last chance of frost. The tomatoes come in by May, and because of the heat are done by July. But the standard wisdom is to get your first tomatoes by the first week in July after planting out in April. The lesson is to avoid what are generic recommendations about planting. They may or may not pertain to your particular climate. We have local ag extension services that are very climate specific about gardening guidance. As in, this is what you should do HERE.

 

[Meadowlark]

... The lesson is to avoid what are generic recommendations about planting.

Agree, generalizations should be avoided.

For example, "all tomatoes in Texas are planted out in February and are done by July" is an example of generalization. In five decades of tomato growing in Texas, I have never planted them out in February and as a matter of fact, I still have many green tomatoes on the vine waiting to harvest here in late Aug.

Each has to find what works for them in their location.

 

[Soiled]

Agree, generalizations should be avoided.

For example, "all tomatoes in Texas are planted out in February and are done by July" is an example of generalization. In five decades of tomato growing in Texas, I have never planted them out in February and as a matter of fact, I still have many green tomatoes on the vine waiting to harvest here in late Aug.

Each has to find what works for them in their location.
View attachment 110870

Misquoted. I said that "we plant out tomatoes in February, after the last chance of frost. " We do that. You may not. You're welcome. My point was that, for me, our Texas heat prevents tomato pollination, and no tomatoes will form in July.

 

[GFTL]

Go to Farmer's Almanac and get a subscription for Garden Planner. I have used it religiously for years. Easy planning and lots of information. Tells you when to plan what in your area.