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mindyw3

anyone else super tempted to put out some of their warm season cr

Mindyw3
12 years ago

If i wasnt such a salad person i would have probably already tried it with some of my extra starts. Anyone already transplant any warm season veggies?

Comments (30)

  • planatus
    12 years ago

    Heck, no. My start date for pepper, tomato and eggplant seeds is March 15. Until then, I have plenty to handle with cool-season crops. Cabbage is moving out now, thank goodness. I need the space under lights.

  • wertach zone 7-B SC
    12 years ago

    I planted a few tomatoes, peppers, and squash last Wed. Even though I'm in zone 7 it is still way too early, but it hasn't been below 50 for almost 2 weeks.

  • drippy
    12 years ago

    Oh, sure. I have a ton of pepper seedlings - tiny yet - growing in my window, so I couldn't resist buying 2 plants cheap to throw in the raised beds yesterday. Highs have been in the low 80s (upper 70s later this week), and no lows anywhere near frost. I know I'm tempting fate, though!

  • Mindyw3
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Ya our lowest low is 42 until at least the end of the month highs in the 60s to 80s. I have sone extra spots i could stick some toms and im really tempted to try direct sowing some squash....whats the worst that could happen?!!

  • tishtoshnm Zone 6/NM
    12 years ago

    Uh, no. Tonight's low is predicted to be 19. If I get antsy, I can still get more cool weather stuff outside, there are 180 onion sets waiting in the garage for me and I have beds to dig and amend. In a couple of days we will be back above freezing but are pretty likely to continue having spurts of cold weather and storms.

  • bi11me
    12 years ago

    No. My time is increasingly limited from now until November, so I'm not inclined to do anything that I'm likely to have to re-do again later - there's enough of that even when I stick to my plan, and if the weather continues this way, I'll be straight-out even earlier than usual, and my harvests will get ahead of my marketing plan. This is not entirely an advantage, and the Last Frost Date doesn't change on one years' anomalous weather pattern. My plans for the year are based on the law of averages, just like the frost dates and hardiness zones, so I stick to the plan.

  • glib
    12 years ago

    Yes, my tomatoes are all outside. We had a tornado and monster hail the other day, and the hail clobbered about 30 plants out of 80 (the stem snapped or was too injured to expect recovery).

    But they (the survivors) are now fully hardened, growing better than in the basement, and I made a thermal fortress with 5-gallons buckets full of water and one 55 gallons drum, about 800 lbs of water total, surrounding the trays and covered with a plastic tent.

    It is now open, but when closed and properly weighted down, it will hold 51F when the outside temps go to 38F. Such is the effect of the water envelope. For a freeze, I would carry them in the garage for the night. I have also put a trash can of kitchen scraps and leaves in there, to help produce some CO2 when they are under plastic.They are getting taller than the buckets, I will have to raise the tent.

  • t-bird
    12 years ago

    LOL Mindy - I didn't want to expose myself to ridicule, but I put out a few of my extra early plantings of toms as an experiment!

    There were 4 of them - 2 grape and 2 black krim - that I just didn't have room for under lights, and while I was going to purchase more lights and possibly shelving, after 4 straight days of 80 degree highs - I said - what the heck!

    I planted them out, put on the cages, and covered with agribon 19 to both help keep a little warmer at night and shade cloth during the day.

    Set them out late sunday when direct sun was over, yesterday was cloudy, so today is their first in a sunny day, so that worked out. They all look much happier! They were getting leggy on the floor next to the light shelf, so definitely not enough. I hardened them off over the weekend before planting.

    The lowest low in the 10 day is 45. If the agribon gives 4 degrees like it does at lower temps, then it's aok for the 10 day forecast. If we see something lower on the horizon, then I'll make every effort to save them - and could even dig them up for a blizzard, lol!

    But - exactly how cold could it get after this? we'll see I guess - but if summer hits hot by april/may - then I'm prepped with some early toms.

    And - I've got extras! I was tempted to put out some peppers too, but I didn't have more than 2 of a particular variety, toms grow quickly, but peppers are a real investment of time and effort - so didn't want to risk it.

    In the house I have 8 early peppers, and 3 early toms - plus seedlings for the main planting.....of peps and eggpts - need to get the tomato seeds started for some additional varieties.

  • Jon_dear
    12 years ago

    ha ha I haven't even started my tomatoes yet. I did seed my peppers 2 days ago. My garden still has some frozen chunks in it. My hardneck garlic is just poking out of the ground. I guess I'll wait for a while.

  • pitcom
    12 years ago

    I am planting my early sunglow corn today. With projected lows only to be around 50 and highs near 80 and in the 70's for the next 2 weeks, it seems like good a time as any. I would only be concerned if it was going to be below 45 and rainy for a few days. I have plenty of seed to replant if need be, so I am not worried if it fails. But I have high hopes everything will turn out fine.

  • roamwhereiwant2
    12 years ago

    Warm weather crops? Heck yeah! It's been in the 80s for the last few days and overnight lows have been in the 50s and 60s for a couple of weeks now. It's a weird, weird spring and I'm going to toss out all my broccoli, cabbage, kale, and chard starts and go with Plan B. So I'll plant pole beans, winter squash, cucumbers, and tomatoes this weekend. If I'm feeling daring, I may just plant melons in a week or two.

  • Mindyw3
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Oh gee! My arugula bolted. Guess that leaves an empty space to fill. Hmmmm.

  • t-bird
    12 years ago

    oh - I also snuck in 2 summer squash seeds.....you know.....just in case, lol!

  • Mindyw3
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Isnt it funny how many of us do it but are embarassed to admit it? Lol.

  • Donna
    12 years ago

    I decided that a few seeds and tomato seedlings (I only have 200 on my deck right now) were very little to risk. We are just two weeks away from our frost date, my soil temps are at 70 degrees, and I have bean seedlings that have volunteered 3 inches high in my beds. I planted tomatoes, a bed of beans and a bed of cucumbers this afternoon. I am afraid that we'll have a very early and hot summer, so if I don't get a crop early, there might not be much of one.

    We'll see....

  • sunnibel7 Md 7
    12 years ago

    Dang! I replied this morming, but it's not here. Oh well, I am in the "nope" catergory. I figure that my soil is still on the cool side and heat loving crops will just sulk. And what if this warm spell cools down by 10 degrees? Since I don't have any matierals for season extension I will stick to my usual planting schedule, give or take a week.

  • jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
    12 years ago

    Yes I was tempted and I transplanted on March 19th. I usually aim for the 25th of March, but I have been trying to get them in since March 10th! They had been calling for rain all this week for the last week. So I focused on getting everything outside planted (Potatoes, beets, onions, leeks, turnips, and radishes). The beets, turnips and radishes are all up.

    Here is a pic of the before planting. We are using plastic mulch this year with two rows of drip tape buried underneath the soil.

    {{gwi:29853}}

    Of course as most of my finished pictures show, now it is dark. It also has been raining, steady drizzle to steady shower for 2 days now. Nice and dry in the high tunnel.

    {{gwi:29856}}

    I put our 168 plants so far in this hoop and I have another 60 cherry tomatoes to put in another hoop building tomorrow. I finished up the plastic mulch for them tonight.

    Jay

  • tn_gardening
    12 years ago

    Sure.

    It's very tempting to put them out early.

    As the others have mentioned, I'd make sure I had a few extras just in case (or some sort of cold frame).

    To help cure my urge, I've been working on a couple containers (I ought to be able to move those in case the weather reverts back to normal).

  • wertach zone 7-B SC
    12 years ago

    Squash are up! The tomatoes and peppers are growing fast! I'm seeing some volunteer tomatoes coming up too. The scattered bird seed under the bird feeder is coming up also.

    Checked the soil temps yesterday and it is 76 degrees. The 10 day forecast calls for more of the same.

    Corn and beans are going in this weekend.

  • instar8
    12 years ago

    Nope! Not a bit!!! I'm happy to get peas in early, throw in some spinach, lettuce, asian braising mix...then work on all the stuff i didn't get done last year!

  • bigbob7777
    12 years ago

    Yep,

    I usually germinate twice as many as I normally need (or more). So, I've put in toms, squash (even had some volunteers from last year), eggplant, peppers. and of course, broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, peas and artichokes.

    I have row covers that will protect me if it dips pretty low. However, if it goes to the low 20's (not predicted), I'm up a creek. But like I said, I've got extras. If these take, my neighbors will get some nice plants (the extras).

  • rayinpenn
    12 years ago

    I will finish constructing my green house on Friday so as soon as thats done I am starting everything out there. Its a bit early but I am sure it will be fine. Look foward to it being absolutely full of green.

    I hear the normal cool weather is expected back next week. I can remember fishing on the opening day of trout season with snow squalls...You just can't rush mother nature.

  • JodieMo
    12 years ago

    Very tempted here! It's been crazy warm here for almost 3 weeks. I planted all of my early crops in mid-February and those are all coming along nicely. I did start some squash inside a couple weeks ago and I just put them in the ground today. I'm hoping to beat the squash bugs out this year. I'm keeping my tomatoes in though. I don't want to risk losing them.

  • ltilton
    12 years ago

    Giving serious thought to a row of green beans. Soil is warm and toasty. Peas were sprouting after 5 days in the ground.

  • SneakyP86
    12 years ago

    The weather has been so warm here for the last couple of weeks. That I have started all my summer seeds outside in the yard. My corn is about 3" tall as is my bush bean plants. My watermelon and cantaloupe seeds have broken ground as have my cucumber and okra. My tomato seeds are just starting to poke their little leaves out of the ground and I am waiting on my pepper seeds to wake up.

    If this warm weather keeps up I think I will be planting at least the corn and beans sometime next week.

    I just hope all this heat doesn't wreck havoc on all my cool weather plants.

  • gunnersm8
    12 years ago

    same here. oak tree is leafing out, morning glories are popping up, mexican petunias are coming up. Im all in. dropped corn yesterday, planted all tomatoes and peppers day before. i figure if we get a late freeze, i can always buy plants or take the season off.

    biggest worries are tomatoes and peppers, spent alot of time getting them where they are.

  • t-bird
    12 years ago

    gunner - I think an actually frost is getting to be more and more of a remote possibility. Would you be able to put any protection on your plants if it came up for just a short spell?

    I hardly fear a frost here in 5, I would think you should be safe in 8 - best of luck!

  • gunnersm8
    12 years ago

    its always possible, here in VA weve had snow in April, if it happens id cover what i could and bring the others inside. it wouldnt be a total loss. Most of my peppers/tomatoes are in containers. Corn was old seed and between you and i, not a variety i cared for anyways and i have probably 2lbs of corn seed that needs to be planted in the next 1-2 yrs anyways

    i guess it wouldnt kill me, just really pi$$ me off a little(more because its my own fault, and i should know better).

    Im more worried about another hail storm. had one last spring that just destroyed my garden, including my corn. then 2nd run of corn we had the hurricane...

  • muddypaws4ever
    12 years ago

    Wow. This post makes me think -- I've got way too many tomat seedlings in the window sill right now. Started a little earlier than usual. Maybe I'll transplant a few with a cloche and see what happens. You never know! I love experiments!!!
    Muddypaws

  • raiquee
    12 years ago

    Im planting my spring stuff this weekend. No warm season stuff, as I'm moving this year and didn't want to start plants and leave em behind with the house! So quick crops is all I can muster. No home grown Toms for me this year. :( ah well I have plenty of farmers markets/stands to hit up.