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| I am going to take a chance and plant my annual containers and hanging baskets tomorrow, as well as my veggie garden. I am sick of lugging the flats in and out of the house. I will post pics of the completed containers when done. Lots of great color planned this year! |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Yeah, well I was up to my ears in little plants too. I swore the next time I saw the sun I would plant. I did and it hailed that afternoon. Everything is soggy wet but I checked and the aphids on my coral maple are still ok. I am looking forward to the pictures. Enjoy your big day. |
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| I'm assuming you're talking about warm season plants, not cool-season veggies and annuals like pansies, violas, leafy greens, peas, etc. so that begs the question of the day: Why do you have annuals/vegetables ready to plant out this time of year? This is due to: These two issues are totally under your control and can be avoided next year. If you plant out warm season plants now, at best they're not going to do anything, they're just going to "sit" there, and at worst they'll be toasted by frost/cold air temps or rot due to cold soil temps or some combination thereof. They're not going to be any better off or "bigger and better" than plants planted at the proper time, because they have to overcome the initial stall whereas proper-sized plants planted at the proper time/conditions will zoom right after planting. So, you can plant them and take a chance they'll be okay or you can continue to deal with the lugging - your choice - but plan better next year so you don't have deal with it. (side note: I learned my lesson regarding the above the hard way - but at least I did learn it) (side note #2: good nurserymen don't put out annuals too early) |
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| I agree with these folks, even in the type of unusual weather that most of us have been experiencing, it's not a good idea to jump the gun. What is the 'Average Last Frost Date' in your area? If you don't know, your local extension office will know. I live in Northern Alabama where, for many years, the ALFD has been posted as April 15. I 'think' that it had been adjusted to an earlier date recently. Guess what? Much of the area experienced some frost this week, lololol! |
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| Yes you can never tell about the weather. Two big pots of petunias with lobularia lived through the winter and started growing and blooming last month. It was a warm winter. People don't seem to know that petunias and calibrachoa like cool sunny weather to grow. They bloom better in warm temperatures and stop blooming in the heat. A mature plant will take a light frost. Verbena and bacopa love cool weather. If you are talking about impatiens, the night temperature needs to be at least 45*. Not all annuals are tropical. I like to get my petunias establish early, they take the heat better. Last spring was bad. We had cool temperatures and then it was blazing summer. Good thing I do this for fun and not income. |
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    Beat-up from spring storms. |
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| You can't compare zone 9 with zone 6 - they're not even close... Soil temps play a major role on the growth (or lack thereof) of certain plants. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I doubt soil temps in zone 9 get as cold as zone 6. Add to that cold, wet spring soil takes a while to dry out - cold soil + damp soil = rot. If one is planting in planters, then of course the effects are tempered, but cold air temps are still an issue - warm-seaons annuals balk if temps are too cool, and most will give up the ghost if a freeze hits, a real possibility in colder zones right up to late April or early May with non-killing frost a threat until mid-May or so, later in zone 5 and below. What do you classify as "cool weather" in your zone? Up here, "cool weather" means anywhere from 40s-60s to me at this time of the year, though I'm not sure what the official definition is. Petunias/other warm season annuals won't grow well at these temps (they may not DIE, but they really won't grow either). Now, my dad is in Florida at the time of the year and he laughs because he says that to the native Floridians, "cool" means anything less than 75 and can always tell a native from a non-native or tourist because the former walk around in jackets if it's 70 while the latter walk around in shorts/tank tops at the same temp LOL! So, you see, to you and I, "cool" is relative; to plants - not so much. :0) |
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| Yes, 40 to 60 is cool weather. My petunias and calibrachoa from last year just picked up and started moving. Close to the house on the south side will winter through. Last year's plants got frost every morning last month but grow on nice days. Not sure, plants may not frost but the south side of the neighbor's roof had frost each morning. I am not comparing zones. I am ahead no doubt but don't know how far behind you are. Violas and petunias do just fine together in spring. Container planting is different anyway. Potting soil can be warmer than dirt, dirt. Whatever, ready for pictures and ideas. |
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- Posted by ravensfan52 6 (My Page) on Tue, Apr 17, 12 at 19:42
| As promised, here are some of the pics from the planting fest this past weekend. I think they will look very nice when filled out in a month or so. Thanks for looking ! 
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- Posted by ravensfan52 6 (My Page) on Tue, Apr 17, 12 at 20:00
| I forgot the basket by the hummingbird feeder. 2 views below:
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- Posted by carolinaflowerlover 7b (My Page) on Wed, Apr 18, 12 at 18:45
| What are those last two pics of? So pretty! |
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| Those are some fantastic looking combinations! Nice job! |
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