Direct sow?

I am late starting (again) this year, and am wondering what I will get away with direct sowing... things like beetroot should be fine, not least as I am going to do them in our barrels, but what about things like peas, French beans?

Sweetcorn I wouldn't risk as it is a battle to stop the mice nicking them even when they are started in the greenhouse.

Spring onions should be OK? Never had any success with them, but going to give them a shot again.

I assume leeks can't be direct sown?

What of brassicas?

I can provide a full list of what I have if it is of interest.

 

We tend to never direct sow as you're not going to know whether they have been got at by wildlife etc. We sow indoors and bring them on either indoors until germinated or in the greenhouse.

Definitely too early to plant out things like beans. The seeds may just rot if the weather isn't right. You shouldn't even sow beans indoors until mid April. We do some earlier because we have plenty of beans and if they germinate quickly we're able to keep them protected from frosts.

 

I would love to not have to direct sow, but truthfully I don't have the space to bring enough on in the greenhouse to avoid doing to.

I can net stuff (I think I still have netting somewhere) to offer some protection.

Ran into a bit of a brick wall for today though sadly - the compost we had (not a lot to be fair) is now dryer than a dry mans dry thing, so not a hope of sowing anything in it. Will need to pick up some compost on the way home tomorrow.