Sowing direct

You are going to get lots of differing opinions on this!

For me

Here's what is best direct:-
Beetroot
Swede
Carrots
Parsnips
Cabbage
Lettuce

Here's what best potted on:-
Onions
Peas (despite DDs advice Im useless! Its the mice)
Sprouts

If I think of any more I'll add.  We grow what we eat so dont have a huge range every year. One of the reasons we grow is to get the basic food cupboard staples.

I've just been thinking about this and this year (because of dire weather) the only things I've sown direct are all the peas and some spinach which was sown in the nice couple of weeks we had much earlier in the year 
I did sow some extra runners next to the poles when I planted the pot grown ones, but not a single one has appeared

Interesting replies, thanks.

I seem to be sowing far more plants in modules and then potting onto small plantpots than many of you here, including Swedes and Parsnips. This led me this year to think it is time to take the next brave step and learn to sow direct to save time and money in compost.

I was surprised to hear that people so Parsnip direct. I have been chitting the seed on damp paper towel and then sowing into compost in toilet rolls and planting out while as soon as the tap root reaches the bottom. Monicoddling, I know!

I am trying the pea seeds in guttering right now as I have been sowing one pea seed to a 1 inch module and it is tedius planting them out! Pea weevil chew my pea seedlings quite badly so I need to grow them on before planting out.

Thanks for the replies.

I am having an experiment at the moment: I have lots climbing french bean seeds saved last year, so I have dropped 2 handful seeds between the trellis that are currently occupied by pea plants  (which supose to come to end in couple of weeks time) then spread some soil on top, I hope I will get some germinated bean plants by the time I cut out all the pea plants.

to play safe, I also sowed some in pots in case they dont come out as planed.

I was encouraged by my allotment neighbours to start things off at home but as pointed out, time and cost of compost started to get in the way, so those crops that have a wider sowing range tend to get sown direct outside when risk of frost is less and the soil is warmed up (about late April and May) and if the success rate is poor, at least I still have time to do second sowings if necessary.  I find a lot of things sown direct actually grow stronger and healthier than those that I have transplanted out.  I'll never sow a pea in a pot again ....

Anything that needs a long growing season usually need to be started off earlier when the soil temperature can be on the cold side (and germination is slower so never knowing if they'll germinate in time or not) so these are started off in pots/modules at home.  My other plot was riddled with clubroot so I've got in the habit of growing brassicas (cabbages, sprouts, broccoli) on in pots until ready to plant out so they have a good healthy root system before then.  Tender crops like sweetcorn and squashes, toms and chillies/peppers need warmth, so again these are started off in pots at home.

The other good thing about direct sowing is less root disturbance - a lot of plants go to seed when this happens, especially things like coriander, fennel, pak choi etc

You can do either or both  I have to start again as slugs have gobbled all of mine 

just the same as they would in the ground   
My Tundra winter cabbage packet says sow til the end of May so they'll only be a couple of weeks later than usual.... and spring cabbage can be sown this month as well.

This recent thread should reassure 
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=94976.msg1056520#msg1056520