[Lesleyk]

I have a handful of plants already going reasonably strong in the veggie garden, but could do with some more.  No point sowing them directly into the ground here as - you guessed it - the dreaded meeces get them.  Also, this year they (the meeces that is) discovered the greenhouse, which means I have had to build Fort Knox in there to stop them getting in, and in the process I have lost a lot of beans, peas - anything round and juicy, basically.  So, is it too late to start some more - which will mean buying some more - for this season?

[azubah]

I don't think it is too late. I am going to start some to fill in the gaps. I put them in a plastic bag with some damp compost in a warm room for 3-4 days and then sow direct in the ground.
I find the mice round here don't like them germinated.
It works for peas too.
The only thing is to time it so that you can sow them immediately they germinate as if the root gets too long they are rather fragile.

[Nobbie]

I don't think it is too late. I am going to start some to fill in the gaps. I put them in a plastic bag with some damp compost in a warm room for 3-4 days and then sow direct in the ground.
I find the mice round here don't like them germinated.
It works for peas too.
The only thing is to time it so that you can sow them immediately they germinate as if the root gets too long they are rather fragile.

The mice round here will take them after germination as well as I learnt last week Plenty of time to sow more, 'The Sutton' can be sown upto July I think.

[solway cropper]

You might struggle to get a crop from a July sowing but I make successional sowings through to the end of May.

I did once try a late June sowing but the pods didn't amount to much.

[Lesleyk]

Thanks I'll have a go.  Should I put them in plastic bags, or will they do in pots in the greenhouse?  And is is a general rule to plant them out as soon as germinated (mice permitting)?  I have been leaving my previous sowings until the plants have a couple of sets of leaves on them before planting out.

[azubah]

I used to plant directly in toilet roll insides and plant them out when a few inches tall, after hardening off.
I found pre-germinating them in plastic bags and sowing direct a lot less work, but if your mice still eat them, that will be a waste of time and seed.
If your greenhouse is mice-free you could just sow them in your cups.

[Lesleyk]

I managed to track down a packet of The Sutton this weekend (hoorah) and I have sown them in pots.  The greenhouse is, unfortunately, not meece free but I have built my own version of Fort Knox in there to protect my seeds/seedlings, having lost loads of peas, beans, broad beans, sweet peas this year   Anyway, I will probably wait until the seedlings look reasonably well established before planting them out.  Fingers crossed for germination this time ...

[Goosegirl]

I have just potted-on the ones that germinated first, but left three that are a bit behind for another week. I don't see why you shouldn't get a decent crop by sowing now, and there's nothing lost.