square foot and sowing

 
In Chicagoland, Zone 5, just put up a tiny raised 4' x 2' raised bed for
sq. ft. garden.

I've got some seeds, probably too late to just sow them into the bed?

Romaine lettuce, Swiss Chard, big chivey looking onions.

Should I just go buy a bunch of seedlings instead?  I'm never on time with
the whole "start some seeds indoors in February" thing.

Any "good bet" seeds that might still get me something to harvest by
August?

 

Lettuce is good, and the onions will go dormant (no biggie). I don't
think the Swiss chard would do much for you, unless you can over-winter
it.
--
- Billy

Bush's 3rd term: Obama plus another elective war
Bush's 4th term: another Judas goat

America is not broke. The country is awash in wealth and cash.
It's just that it's not in your hands. It has been transferred, in the
greatest heist in history, from the workers and consumers to the banks
and the portfolios of the uber-rich.
<http://theuptake.org/2011/03/05/michael-moore-the-big-lie-wisconsin-is-broke/>

 

You're kidding, right?  There's plenty of time for the chard to make a good
crop.  If you overwinter it (and it likely will),  you'll get a big alien
looking thing that produces seeds next year.

Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic
Zone 5/4 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G

 

Typically, the chard that I've grown from seed don't get very large the
first year, but are fine producers thereafter. I have plants that I've
been eating off of for over 6 years. They throw-out runners that root,
and require little maintenance. Usually takes an act of god to kill one
off. They over-winter here, but they get very little sunlight during the
winter. Since we live in the trees and the trees are always growing, as
a reasult every year is a little different.
--
- Billy

Bush's 3rd term: Obama plus another elective war
Bush's 4th term: another Judas goat

America is not broke. The country is awash in wealth and cash.
It's just that it's not in your hands. It has been transferred, in the
greatest heist in history, from the workers and consumers to the banks
and the portfolios of the uber-rich.
<http://theuptake.org/2011/03/05/michael-moore-the-big-lie-wisconsin-is-broke/>

 Billy said:


That sounds more like the habits of sorrel, not Swiss chard.  Sorrel does
look somewhat like chard, but is a perennial that spreads by runners.
A popular green in many cuisines, sorrel is tarter than chard and usually
not as deep a green color.  Sorrel is Rumex  acetosa.   (There are other
Rumex sp. that are used as greens, too.)

Swiss chard is the same species as the garden beet (Beta vulgaris).  First
year, greens  and root, second year, bolt to seed (if it winters over at all,
which it  never has when I've grown it).

Rumex and Beta are genera in the Chenopodiaceae family, so there might
be a family resemblance.

If you actually do have perennial chard...that would be something...but
it is more likely you have some other green in the Chenopodiaceae family.

--
Pat in Plymouth MI
    
"Yes, swooping is bad."
 
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