June - what seeds to plant?

Hi everyone,
Well the tunnel is nearly up and running and I haven't a clue what seeds I can start planting. Is it too late to plant tomato seeds now?
I am sorry for the daft questions, I am very new to all this veg and fruit growing, but it is never too late to learn right?
I've had conflicting advice from a few of my neighbours and now do not know what I can and cannot plant . I am half tempted to just put a row of every seed I have and see what comes up lol. Thanks in advance, abbs

 

Courgettes?

 

I have courgettes, also melons and different variety of pumpkins - thanks will put them in first lol
is it too late for the toms?

 

Hi John,
Thanks for that tip, I am in France so not sure GC's will help but I will look in the local markets etc.

 

They might still be selling tomato plants on your local market, abbs. Perhaps not as much choice as growing from seed, but would give you a head-start this year.
What about Sweet Peppers, Aubergines, Chillies??

Beaten to it again! Zut!

 

I will try all the above, thanks Noisette.
We eat a lot of sweet peppers and chillies, just been looking in my seed stash and I think I should be ok with the salad stuff?
I've also got cabbages/carrots/swede etc...... think I might just put them in and see what happens lol
I will be buying new seeds next year anyway so have nothing to lose if they don't grow apart from a bit of space taken up in the poly

 

wow, Thanks John,
My English neighbours said it was too late to sow half the stuff I wanted to so I assumed I was too late. But I have seeds for all those that you mention and we love them here, Can't wait to get started lol. Hope to have the rest of the digging done tomorrow and then put the cover over the tunnel and should be planting by sunday yaaay.

 

Hi John, thanks for that info, I will definitely give it a go.
They do have garden centres here, Gamm Vert/magasin Vert and also Leclerc have a garden section at this time of year, but to be honest they are quite expensive and not of good quality. There are also the pepinieres which are garden centres, I love these but although still expensive it is usually better quality and they have a lot of variety
I don't visit these shops any more though lol because I cannot afford to buy the stuff that I like lol

 

This is a good way to learn and build your experience for future years, make mistakes, come and ask here and you'll know for next time/year.

As John has said its a little late for sowing tomatoes, I'd also say its too late for aubergines and sweet peppers too..both need a long season in my opinion.

However, you can cheat a little.

Part of growing cordon tomatoes is the process of taking out the sideshoots, so find a neighbour who is growing toms and ask for these sideshoots as you can pot them up and grow them on quite quickly. Around 50% will fail in my experience so plant twice as many as you think you will need and keep them well watered. That is of course, if they have not got spare plants or you cannot source them anywhere else.

You can also try beetroot and swiss chard in the tunnel too, and sprouting broccolis, cauliflowers, Kale, Swedes etc.

Best of luck to you!

Steve...

 

When I am late with something, of forget!!, I get plants from the local garden centre. It takes about 6 weeks to get a plant from seed to "size for sale", so any plants that you can find locally would gain you about 6 weeks for this season, and then next year you can sow from seed to get the specific varieties that you choose and save some cents Sowing seeds this year, as well, to gain experience is a good idea, but personally I would encourage you to try to get a "normal" crop as I think that will spur you on more, having good success, rather than possibly some mediocre crops because you are sowing late. Just my €0.02 though

 

Thanks for the advice, I was thinking about it as I was digging the beds over, maybe it will be best to start with just a few varieties and then I won't be disheartened. On a more positive note, I checked my fruit garden and I have nearly a 100 strawberries coming through, some are even a little red mmmm just need more sun to ripen em off!!! oh and I got one single, solitary cherry on the cherry tree haha maybe this year hasn't been such a wash out after all !
Thunderstorms today stopped work on the poly so I guess I won't be planting until Monday now