When is to late to start seeds?

Well first of all i am in zone 7a as best as i can figure it out anyway. Had a neighbor tell me it was to late to start from seed for this year. I have had Red Burgundy Okra and Big Mama Lima seeds that sprouted today after only 3 days using the papertowel baggie method. Is he right? Or can i still plant and get at least some Veggie's from? I also have Jimmy Nardello's pepper seeds but haven't had any luck getting them to sprout. I appreciate any help.

Keith

bkeith, I am zone 6, and I think you still have time to plant the limas and okra. The peppers are a little late. If I were you, I would buy the pepper plants from a garden center, and plant the rest. I am assuming that you are talking about planting as in a veggie garden.

defoecat, Thanks i am going to anyway just wondering what other's on here thought. I would to find some Jimmy Nardello's plants around here at a garden center but, i think it's a little more rare and haven't seen it around here. Yes i am talking about a veggie garden. Anyone else? More thought's would be appreciated.

Shoot, I'm in Zone 7b and our local ag agent says not to plant okra, corn and the like until May 15th. If that's the case, you are WAY ok in planting your seeds.

Billy

plenty of time left for most everything. I'm in 6 and usually figure it's ok to put out most warm weather plants up through about the middle of june. I have a few nardello's started, they were a bit slow to come up, seed vigor wasn't the best, the TN cheese was even slower, (same as hungarian) i use a little kelp extract in the first couple waterings to help them sprout.

bkeith, and reuben, are we talking peppers?

yes--- Pepper (Sweet)
Jimmy Nardello This is one of the Italian frying type peppers. The long, slender fruits can easily grow to 8-9 inches. The plants are tall and bushy and may require staking because they produce a large crop. The peppers are extremely sweet when red and nice and tangy when picked green.

For most of Virginia you still have time to plant most vegetables. Peppers which must be started and transplanted, a liitle iffy. IF you are in the piedmont (south of I-64), southside, tidewater, middle peninsula, or northern neck you should have time for a fall crop (September- October harvest). It depends somewhat on how long it takes you to germinate the seed and get them going.

It's definitely not too late for squash seeds. Cucumbers too.

And then there's fall and winter gardens. When we've been organized enough in the past, have enjoyed those Asian relatives of the cabbage like bok choy. Mizuna, taitsoi (spelling?), various mustards, kales, radicchios, endives, winter lettuces, parsley, onions - many more do well if sown by August here - possibly later for you.

I especially like the red Chinese mustard, because it is so foolproof - selfsows every year, so whatever else may go wrong, we always have that one. I wonder if anyone has tried "permaculture" at DG?

We have grown them under both plastic and floating row covers. Our most successful effort was when we built a wooden frame that sloped inward toward the top with old window sashes attached with hinges. Two layers of very thick plastic went over all of that and we harvest these vegies into December and then started up again in March.

Here's a great thread on late season gardens:

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/461103/

Karen, sounds like my kinds salad greens! I'll have to find some seed for the red Chinese mustard!