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I started these like I always do in 3 inch pots expecting to be able to plant them at the usual time but with one thing and another we got the lottie late, had to do some work on it and now it is ready for planting..the broadies have been there for about a month in their pots and were way beyond planting out when I took them there to get them off my balcony, they are starting to flower they are about 12 inches tall, and a  bit bent,and  are very pot bound. should I just chuck them out or is it worth giving them a chance this late,space is critical.??

XX Jeannine

Should be fine as long as you keep an eye out for blackfly and take appropriate action (we all have different definitions of appropriate though).... My crimson-flowered were only sown into pots a couple of weeks ago, the Sutton's that preceded them are only 12" tall and are flowering (but they're in the ground now).... can do no harm, they're green manure even if they don't crop....

chrisc

Plant them out carefully and prop them up with string between canes in the ground at each end of the row.

Mine gone in today and they will be romping away soon.

Plant them. My Red Epicure only went out last week, and Dreadnought are just beginning to show, in pots.

Jeannine,
My thoughts are:
How will you get the plants out of to pots? If they're like 'Brit pots' with holes in the base, you could end up ripping the roots apart. Not a good start.
If this isn't a problem - plant them out!

If you do rip the roots up, they'll recover. They aren't fussy in that respect.

Quote from: tomatoada on May 18, 2010, 14:52:57
Plant them out carefully and prop them up with string between canes in the ground at each end of the row.

This is exactly what a friend of mine has done, and a week on, they look bonny to me  :)

Well they finally got out today..flowers and all, leaves now a little yellow, I will let you all know how they faired, it might prove useful to someone else. I will be surprised if they amount  to anything but worth a try just to find out.

Just as a point of interest, I have been asked many times in the last couple of weeks from other Canadain lottiers "what are they?"  I guess while they have been sitting there waiting for John to clear the ground they have been noticed. Most folks thought they were flowers they didn't recognise.

XX Jeannine