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Post by daylilydude on Apr 16, 2019 3:40:44 GMT -5
What is your average frost date and do you wait a while longer to plant out?
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Post by hairymooseknuckles on Apr 16, 2019 6:03:23 GMT -5
It really varies around here, middle of March is what I shoot for. I've seen it snow after the bluebonnets have bloomed. Now, I'll admit it's only happened once that I remember, but it did happen and not too terribly long ago either. I think it was around 06. We generally have a frost right around Easter. I don't wait to plant, I plant on pretty days and just cover in those few days that might get a frost. I generally plant my tomatoes in the ground in March and watch the weather close for a month. If I waited till bad weather was completely over, I wouldn't get many tomatoes due to heat.
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Post by brownrexx on Apr 16, 2019 8:22:52 GMT -5
My last average frost date is May 15 but I usually plant out during the first part of May and just watch for frost like hairymooseknuckles, does. I have wood baskets that I can put over my tomato plants to protect them from severe wind or frost.
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Post by ladymarmalade on Apr 16, 2019 8:37:00 GMT -5
May 16th, and yes, I always wait to put out my peppers and tomatoes. Other veggies are a different story.
I may work on getting my cabbages and kales in the garden this coming weekend. Those things will tolerate a good frost though.
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Post by pondgardener on Apr 16, 2019 8:40:47 GMT -5
Usually around the second week of May here but it seems to be getting earlier every year. I have some early tomatoes that I am starting to harden off to plant in a protected part of the yard. And if cold weather is predicted, I have some 5 gallon water bottles with the bottom removed and 5 gallon buckets that I can cover the plants in the event of frost.
My wife and I were married during the second week of May, and she was near tears that year when it snowed a few days before the ceremony. But everything dried up quick here and things worked out.
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Post by paulf on Apr 16, 2019 9:14:22 GMT -5
Here in southeast Nebraska it is around April 26 for last average; latest frost date ever is late May. Early season crops like radishes, cabbage, etc has ben planted. My granddaughter and I planted sunflowers a couple of weeks ago because that is when she visited and it is tradition we plant sunflowers together.
Tomatoes I like to plant after May 5 on a day the weather permits and soil temperature is above 65 degrees F. Peppers usually get done at the same time, but this year I will wait for another week or two just to see what happens since peppers like it warmer.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Apr 16, 2019 9:40:37 GMT -5
Second week of March is typical. If I have myself in gear (unlike this year, when I am very behind), I plant anytime after March 5 as long as the 10 day forecast looks good and just watch the weather until late March.
I have yet to see any frost here after the end of March.
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Post by september on Apr 16, 2019 10:15:25 GMT -5
Different sources say different dates, May 22nd sounds about right. I don't trust tomatoes and peppers in the ground until the last week of May. I can push the season for a couple of rows, but I don't have enough buckets or boxes to cover 80+ plants. I am glued to the 10 day forecasts the latter half of May.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Apr 16, 2019 10:41:31 GMT -5
Average means that half the time that there will be a frost after, so I don't think an average last frost date means anything to me - I'm not a gambler! The last frost date here has been 5-3. Up to several years ago it had been 5-1, so mother's day had been traditional for many people, for planting tomatoes. I will usually plant in the first week of May sometime, but have to play it by ear - that year it frosted on 5-3, it was colder than normal, so I didn't have them out before that. A few times it has been very warm, and I've put them out a little early, but I always plan on early May, which is why the seeds get planted on 4-1. I have 5 plants I planted early, that will go under WOWs, but that's another story.
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Post by farmerjack41 on Apr 16, 2019 11:53:33 GMT -5
Generally around the middle of May. Have seen heavy frost on Memorial Day weekend, even snow storm. Tomatoes go out first part of May, with walls of water around them. If frost is forecast , throw a towel over the top of that. Usually plant corn around the first of May, sometimes gets froze out and sometimes will be ok. Last couple of years it has been ok.
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Post by ladymarmalade on Apr 16, 2019 12:22:09 GMT -5
Different sources say different dates, May 22nd sounds about right. I don't trust tomatoes and peppers in the ground until the last week of May. I can push the season for a couple of rows, but I don't have enough buckets or boxes to cover 80+ plants. I am glued to the 10 day forecasts the latter half of May.Lol, yes on the 10 day forecasts! I try to not plant tender plants out until after Memorial Day, but if the ten day looks exceptional AND my calendar is looking jam-packed, I'll get them in early. One year we were gone Memorial weekend and it frosted- fortunately my garden survived just fine, but it was a lesson learned to be patient.
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Post by brownrexx on Apr 16, 2019 13:01:36 GMT -5
I just checked my garden Notes and I planted my tomatoes out last year on May 9 and I didn't note any frost. If there had been a frost I would have written down the date.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Apr 16, 2019 22:56:02 GMT -5
I just checked my extended 25 day forecast, and the lowest lows were in the high 40s, so I could put tomatoes out now, but they aren't ready. I do have those early ones that are almost ready, however - only 5, and they are all small tomatoes.
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Post by guruofgardens on Apr 17, 2019 8:01:42 GMT -5
Last year we had hail 3x before we planted the tomatoes on 05-31. Usual frost date is around 05-12, but now I am worried about the weather and planting, even with protecting the tomatoes. Right now most of the garden is wet, but I have another month to plant other stuff. The peppers won’t be planted until June 1st or so.
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Post by brownrexx on Apr 17, 2019 9:39:38 GMT -5
I could put tomatoes out now, I potted mine up yesterday and I could have planted them in the ground. They are big enough but even though the temperature is not too bad we still are having so much wind. My tomato babies will be happier growing more roots to fill the bigger pots and staying on the front porch (which has a roof) during the days and coming indoors at night. I have them in 2 trays so it is not a lot to shuffle back and forth.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Apr 17, 2019 11:54:19 GMT -5
That wind has been wicked, brownrexx! For that reason, the early tomatoes I have will be going out on WOWs. I might fill 5 of those today, and let the water warm up in them, and plant Sunday. I am thinking of planting some Blauhilde beans this weekend - much earlier than usual, but the ground is warmer than usual at this time, and Blauhildes are resistant to cool. I'll wait on the others...or maybe just plant a couple, just to see how they compare.
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Post by spike on Apr 18, 2019 9:07:27 GMT -5
SO jealous! I am lucky if I can actually get stuff in the ground around the first week of June and not have to panic.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Apr 18, 2019 10:06:56 GMT -5
I'm pretty surprised that you're not expecting any nights below the upper 40s, pepperhead212. My lows Friday and Saturday night are projected at 52 and 53, respectively. I would expect more than a 5 degree difference between us this time of year.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Apr 18, 2019 17:19:38 GMT -5
Laura_in_FL It only got down to 59° out there last night, and it got to 80° out there in my yard today (81° in Philly right now) - 15 above average - and I just saw the weekly forecast and the highs and the lows are well above the average - only one day 2° above. And he said that all of April has been 4 1/2° above average. Some heavy rain expected tomorrow night.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Apr 19, 2019 12:45:55 GMT -5
We're only getting to 69 for the high today and tomorrow, and now they are forecasting 50 for tomorrow's low, so my yard might actually get into the upper 40s. So it seems I got your weather this weekend.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Apr 19, 2019 13:24:37 GMT -5
It was 71° when I went to bed last night, after midnight, and the min on my thermometer out back was 66° last night. 65° is the average high for this time of year! Supposed to get to 78° today, and it's almost there. Fortunately, it's breezy, so not bad out there. My tomatoes are almost overgrown, due to the warmth in the grow room - usually, it's in the high 60s.
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Post by octave1 on Apr 20, 2019 8:36:01 GMT -5
According to the USDA map, my last/average frost date is around April 15, but I don't transplant anything immediately after that date. I did some years ago, but then I had to cover the tomato plants because it got too cold. What I do now is watch for tomato volunteers to pop up in the garden. When I see them, I know it's transplant time.
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caesg
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Post by caesg on Apr 21, 2019 12:12:00 GMT -5
Avg last frost is Apr 20. Around here, the traditional date to plant hot season items in ground is Mother's Day and the big sales and such are held about then. But maybe that's a thing even in colder climes? Dunno. I always get started late. That has more to do with organization than intent, though.
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reubent
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Post by reubent on Apr 24, 2019 14:59:23 GMT -5
Middle TN, it varies tremendously over at least a whole month, or 5-6 weeks even. On occasion our last frost can be in late March, or as late as first of May, average around middle of April I guess. Same for Fall averaging about middle of Oct. We've had killin frost on Oct 2, but more often it waits till late Oct or into Nov before it wipes out everything.
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