Late planting: Zone 5a Maine

Hi all,

I return from overseas in mid to late June with optimistic plans to get a garden in. Not too worried about peas, spinach and chard, and there will be some plants in the farmer's market I can start with, but I'm wondering whether it's overly optimistic to think I might get a crop of potatoes and corn if planted from seed. 90 days puts me almost into October.

Thanks!

Craig

If your weather has been as bad as ours you wouldn't be able to plant earlier. My whole vegetable plot is still under water and more rain expected. Grass is growing well though.

Most likely you will be ok with a late planting (be prepared by getting the supplies for small hoop houses sized to the corn  plants, just in case you find you need them).
All the winter squash varieties will do fine too, and Okra doesn't mind being planted later either.

The weather pattern shifting that is currently going on means no one can really tell just how long a season anyone can expect anymore.

I will use Buzzard's Roost as the example. 4 years ago end of October meant the tomatoes and other warm weather lovers were about on their last legs.
Last year we were harvesting tomatoes up until December 30th when we decided to just pull them up, they still had baby fruits all over them.

Planting times have been moving back too. 4 years ago we had everything planted by the first of April with nice warming starting about the middle of March.
This is April 26th and we are still in cool nights with lots of rains coming through, it will be about 4 more weeks before we could call the end of the spring planting time.

These sort of changes will continue but not in a linear pattern it will be more up and down as the global warming continues along.

Oh, 4 years ago we were a solid USDA Zone 7b. Today we are listed as 7b/8a but if you look at my temperature charts and compare to the zone charting we are actually now 8a/8b.
This year I expect the harvest time to extend into January of 2019.

Redhawk

You will be fine. We used to plant 400 acres of potatoes, putting them in the ground the first of May and harvesting the second week of October. We have also harvested corn as late as November.

I'd plant some corn before you leave. The early 55 day corn can be planted early in the season. I'd also experiment with the bigger, later corn. How much is a packet of seed. $1.89, whatdaya have to loose. Potato sets are a little more expensive that than, but I'd make the gamble.

I'd also plant some more of the 55 day corn when you get back, another $1.89 down the drain. No seriously I think you'd get the second crop, assuming you have the garden space.

Good luck with the gardening.

Thanks, all! With weather patterns shifting the season later, a hoophouse and a few packets of seeds, I may be all set.

Craig

I think I misspoke. I was referring to the Golden Bantam which Burpee's says ripens in 80 days??. But they do say "it germinates well in cool soils"

This is the corn that's sold commercially here as Evans City Corn after the area where the local corn is grown. It's always the first corn available, small cobs.

Anyway Burpee's does have Northern Extra sweet 67 days but it just says "Cool-Soil Vigor. I hope you can get that in your local big box store displays, cause it's maybe too late to order for mail delivery.