The question of how late is too late to plant vegetables on our Lower Mainland is a complicated one with many answers. It is a bit like asking “how long is a piece of string?” The short answer is “never”. The longer answer is “it depends.”
How late you can plant depends on many variables including the following:

Weather

Or how many days do you have left with warm enough temperatures and enough daytime
sunshine hours for your plants to mature?

Plants

What are you wanting to plant? Hint: Mid-summer is not the best time to plant a fruit tree. Trees are better off being planted in the spring or the fall.
Shelling peas, on the other hand can be reseeded most of the year because they mature quickly and don’t mind our cool shoulder seasons.

Greenhouse

Do you have a greenhouse? Or the capability of tenting with plastic? If so, you may increase your growing time by a month or two.

Light Stands

Do you have a light stand or sunroom inside that can prolong your summer season? If so, you may be able to continue fruiting for a while inside once the temperature drops outside.
Let experience be your teacher. There are still people who are starting tomatoes right now. These are obviously short-season tomatoes, but it is still not too late. The more experience you have gardening, the more you will understand what the sowing rules are and when you can break them.

Art Knapp has 15 locations across British Columbia and is well known as the go-to garden
centre for everything garden-related. Art Knapp, himself, began the business in the 1940's, and now, 80 years later, you can find more than he ever dreamed of in our stores. Come and see us on King George Boulevard in Surrey.
If you have any questions about this article or want to talk to us about gardening, just give us a
call at (604) 596-9201.