When Is It Too Late to Plant Seeds?
Answered by: Inge Poot
Question from: No Name Given
Posted on: August 09, 2006

When is it too late in the season to plant seeds?

This year I have been busy and haven’t gotten around to planting everything I had hoped to, and I don’t want to sow seeds in the next few weeks and have them germinate only to go dormant or die as the cooler weather sets in.

If I have everything sowed by the end of August at the latest, will they be large/hardy enough to survive the winter (the first frost in my area usually comes in late September to early October)?

I am so sorry that I cannot give you a yes or no answer, because it varies greatly with the species you are dealing with. Do check the back of the seed package where it will tell you when the seed may be successfully planted. Species that germinate readily and grow fast will be quite OK with August planting, as will be species that should be planted in the fall because they need frost to germinate. The latter will not come up until next spring. Annuals should be kept in the fridge until next spring-unless the seeds are hardy enough to withstand frost.

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