Ok to plant seeds in August? Best location for veggie garden

[Psylock1045]

Hello, this is my first venture into gardening, and I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing. I have 2 questions. 1, can I plant these seeds now, or should I wait until next spring?

and for the second pic, is this a good spot for a garden to grow my own food? I know it needs to be cleaned out first

[Psylock1045]

I live in a suburb of Baltimore, Maryland

[tomc]

You could amend your signature with your geographic details, This won't be the only time you'll get asked.

[Stourme]

Hi,

There are three things that matter:
#1 Sunlight. How many hours of direct sunlight this spot gets. If it gets less than 6 hours of direct sun, you're going to have problems. 8+ hours for anything that bears fruit.

#2 Soil content. Add lots of compost. Bagged manure (sheep, cow, horse), grass clippings, etc... get it all mixed in and let it break down over the winter. Soils take a couple seasons to get the right consistency, content, and PH. Put leaves in a separate compost pile and let them breakdown first.

#3 Soil depth. 6" minimum. 8-12" preferred. If you can't get that deep, buy 2x12's and make a raised bed. Fill it full of compost and top soil. Rocks and hard clay will stunt the growth of just about everything. For Carrots I would even go so far as to put sand below the 5" mark.

[Psylock1045]

So with soil that is just plain, can I plant some stuff now and plant the rest next spring? Or should I just wait until next year and start prepping the soil?

[Stourme]

So with soil that is just plain, can I plant some stuff now and plant the rest next spring? Or should I just wait until next year and start prepping the soil?

Do both. Watch how the plants react now and you'll know what you need to do by next season.

There's still time to plant squash if you like. Squash is very forgiving and grows quick. Peas will tolerate cooler temps.

What ever comes up now, you can always till back into the soil before winter.

[Susan W]

I understand being anxious to get this garden thing going! It is hard to see exactly what this planter is. Is it ground level or up on legs? What is soil depth?

My suggestion, and that is all, is to clean it out. After a rain or watering, pull out all the vegetation. Then look at the soil. It appears you will need to add several bags of stuff and get level up to near top (it settles over time).

Bags of stuff I use, amounts vary. Cheap top soil. Check the bag and see if it is just clay or has sand and loose. I sometimes use the cheaper potting mix as a base, depending on availability. Some sort of compost. Cotton burr (not seed) is good, or I may use Natures Helper. Bagged poo. I prefer Black Kow as it has some aged poo, sand and other stuff. The sand mentioned keeps things loose and draining. If you have some worms add them in.

After this is done, and garden pretty, you could try the lettuce. At least you'd get some pretty leaves before hard frost. If your box stores still have seed racks, check for Spinach, bloomsdale often preferred, and try that.

Seeing that you'll have that pretty space, why not get some pansies or violas in Sept, and have some blooms much of the winter?! They'll go down some in extended cold, but should bounce back Feb-March.

Hope this helps

[jal_ut]

Too late to plant much this fall. You may plant garlic cloves now for garlic next summer. You may get some lettuce or radish to make it this fall, depends on your climate. The other things? No! For me here in Northern Utah, I am expecting a killing frost before September 10, so no growing time left here.

You are at a much lower elevation, any Idea when your average first killing frost happens?

[applestar]

So, let's go back to describing this location.

Which direction does this face? Even from just this one photo, it looks kind of dark? Plus the low situation surrounded by wall and railing would be difficult, too.

Although I honestly used to think in general, growing in ground is easier, but I've been experimenting lately and some container options do seem to work well. A good thing about large -- TALLER -- containers (and raised beds too) is they can sometimes raise the plants up so they can be in more sunlight.

If you really want to try growing some things this fall, why not try that? It looks like this is near an entry which would make it easier to keep things watered and not forget.

I believe considering your slightly more southerly location from mine, Lettuce, bush beans, and bush/dwarf peas are all possibilities. Carrots can be difficult -- it always takes longer than I expect, but on the other hand, they are pretty cold and frost hardy and will be OK until hard freeze, which may not be until mid-late November, maybe? You will want to grow the shorter, fatter kind, not the long, narrow ones that you might be used to from the store.

eta (edited to add) -- I got the chance to click on your seed packet picture and read the varieties -- the Danvers half long carrot and Alaska peas are good. Pole beans is a little iffy -- many varieties of bush beans would grow and mature faster.

[Susan W]

Don't know if OP will be back, but had general thoughts on this. I am in just a slightly warmer zone, so seeds and plants close.
Why push summer hot weather stuff (squash, beans), when spinach, kale, broccoli more appropriate? Planting beans now may yield a few. . It's near too late to start the others from seed. Now or very soon, cool weather starts coming to the garden center near you. Get a bed prepared and pick up a few packs of starts. For less than $10 can fill that planter.

Flowers? Am I the only one suggesting a few pansies in this interim time until spring? A flat may be all of $15. A bargain for that much color and cheer. I like the violas, but pansies are great also.

As I have mentioned elsewhere, when one season produce coming in, start planting for the next. Also, buying starts isn't that bad (some plants and other considerations). As for me, plant starting up in the 100's per year, and yes, I do buy starts and plants.

Just some thoughts from a mid-south person playing with plants.

[applestar]

Well, OP already has those seeds, so I was trying to tell which ones might still work if started now, and beans are one of the easier ones to germinate and grow. So even though it might be too late for the OP's pole beans, I was saying these may not work BUT bush beans with that mature faster might -- just trying to model a way of making these decisions.

Spinach is slow to germinate and for me not really easy to grow, and kale and broccoli will be difficult this time of the year because of the caterpillars and other pests.

[Psylock1045]

Okay, after reading everything I realize that This is a lot more than just *dig hole, bury seed, water daily, free food* I picked the seeds up on a whim because the local dollar store had a sale for 5 cents a packet. I watched the sunlight of my hopeful area and it just doesn't get enough. There is a spot on the side of the house that I'm going to work on and start planting stuff in the Spring.

Are there any cheap veggies/edible plants I can grow in low sunlight? It's a shady area in front of the house between the house and the wheelchair ramp, and under a tree. Probably about 7-10 feet long and about 4 feet wide. Currently host to a bunch of weeds, some sort of ugly, oily vine plant ( not one of the poison plants as far as I can tell ) and a couple small bushes that aren't cared for.

[applestar]

Be more specific about how much sun we're talking about. If limited sun now, the area will get even less sun by fall and probably none in winter. Do you remember doing this kind of science experiment? Draw a rough sketch of area and approx sunlight-shadow line at different times of the day ...or just take photos.

I grow Ostrich Fern on NE side of the house. Spring shoots are edible, and the heavy Fern cover helps keep down weeds for the rest of the year, but the foliage dies down in winter (but becomes heavy mulch). Among the fern, I get wild blackberries -- not as heavy production as sunny area but I still harvest some. Also wild strawberries.

Any kind of Mints will grow in shade, including a close relative lemon balm. Hot peppers can bloom and fruit even where there is not enough sun for tomatoes. Some of the other herbs -- Japanese Shiso and Mitsuba.

People often say leafy greens, but anything growing in insufficient sun tends to be limp and weak, so fragile lettuce, etc become too vulnerable to pests. Maybe Swiss Chard.

[Susan W]

OK, getting one step closer! Is this a planter type arrangement? Hard to tell from pic. This is in front of house where you enter?
The area needs cleaned out. As for dirt, probably can leave some, and add lots of a mix. I've mentioned my mix too many times to elaborate here. Then plant. If in front, what are some guidelines such as height, color, year around interest. As for year 'round, there are some plants mostly evergreen, and for flowers usually go with annuals. A summer mix, dug up and replaced by the pansies/violas for winter. A couple of small evergreen shrubs often work well (small boxwood, Alberta spruce), and then work around them.

In the spring, you could try a few herbs and see what may take. Mint ( spreads), lemon balm (spreads), chives. Parsley, oregano, dill among others do well in about 1/2 sun. I also have anise hyssop growing and blooming in part sun/light shade.

Watch your sun/shade. If shaded by a deciduous tree, will have more sun in winter when leaves gone.
This is a challenge, and there will be winners and losers. Trial and error.

[imafan26]

You can save the seeds by keeping them in a cool dry place. I have mine in the frig with the packets in a zip lock bag. Most of those seeds will still be good next year.

I know you are anxious to plant now, but it would be better to use the time prepping the soil and taking notes about how the sun moves through the area this time of the year. You will need to also check how the sun moves during the Spring and summer. You will be getting less and less light this time of the year as the days grow shorter and plants that even like cool weather will grow slower and slower as it gets darker and colder. Most vegetables will want at least 6 hours of sun. Some things will grow in partial shade like green onions, chives, cilantro, lettuce in summer. Beans, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, are heat lovers and will fruit better in the sun.
Measure the space you have and take a look at plant spacing. People usually try to put more seed down than the space can handle. Seeds and seedlings look like they are far apart when you start them, but you have to give them enough space so they won't be crowded when they mature. Sometimes the soil isn't that bad and you can get a good first crop with little prep, but if you are going to plant something like carrots with a large root, the soil has to be fine and deep or you won't have roots or the roots will be deformed. Peppers should wait till next year. They like at least 70 degrees but they are not frost tolerant. You can start them now in pots, but you could not keep them outside in freezing weather.
Lettuce is a good short crop 45-70 days depending on the lettuce. You can pick off the outer leaves for salad before maturity, but lettuce should be spaced 8-10 inches apart and the seeds are small. If you don't want to thin, it is easier to start and transplant them when they are two inches tall. A seed packet is for a 20 foot row so you will need just a fraction of the packet a small pinch of seeds. Not all of them will germinate but you can start a few more a couple of weeks later. ( I usually aim for 8-10 heads at a time)

[Stourme]

I understand being anxious to get this garden thing going! It is hard to see exactly what this planter is. Is it ground level or up on legs? What is soil depth?

My suggestion, and that is all, is to clean it out. After a rain or watering, pull out all the vegetation. Then look at the soil. It appears you will need to add several bags of stuff and get level up to near top (it settles over time).

Bags of stuff I use, amounts vary. Cheap top soil. Check the bag and see if it is just clay or has sand and loose. I sometimes use the cheaper potting mix as a base, depending on availability. Some sort of compost. Cotton burr (not seed) is good, or I may use Natures Helper. Bagged poo. I prefer Black Kow as it has some aged poo, sand and other stuff. The sand mentioned keeps things loose and draining. If you have some worms add them in.

After this is done, and garden pretty, you could try the lettuce. At least you'd get some pretty leaves before hard frost. If your box stores still have seed racks, check for Spinach, bloomsdale often preferred, and try that.

Seeing that you'll have that pretty space, why not get some pansies or violas in Sept, and have some blooms much of the winter?! They'll go down some in extended cold, but should bounce back Feb-March.

Hope this helps

I definitely agree with Susan. This is what I would do.

But if you just want to see something grow, try your seeds. Just understand the garden spot isn't ready and don't be disappointed if your plants don't produce the garden of Eden.