Seeds in the ground now?

Hello again folks. I had too much going on in RL and am just getting back to thinking about gardening. I have just a few sprouts of garlic poking through my SFG. Kind of disappointed that there's not much showing at all.

I picked up some spinach seeds at Whole Foods yesterday. The package states to plant them outside as soon as the soil is workable. My SFG soil is workable but it's still so darned cold at night. Is it really true the seeds can go out now?

I read back about five pages and noted that someone planted their beet seeds outside already (unless I mis-read that). So, I can plant a square of beets right now? Would love to plant ...something...!

Most of the snow is gone here, but there is still snow in shaded areas throughout the town if that makes any difference. I am hopeful that we have seen the last of the snowfall for this year, though!

Hope all is well with all of you!

Gee, how did this come up here? I thought I was posting in the March in New England thread. Oh well, I guess....

Hi cpl,

Good to see you back!

I planted my beet seeds a couple days ago, but don't go by what I do. My last frost date here on the Cape is 4/19 and according to the ANSFG book I was supposed to plant beets on 3/29. So I'm right on schedule, give or take a day. I'm using the book as my guide as to when to plant. Mostly that will work. And if I don't follow it, it just about always doesn't work. Like I planted my peas on 2/26 but the book said 3/15. Out of about 50 peas I have 2 sprouts as of today. Dumb me. So I have to start all over again.

Do you have indoor starts yet? If not, check out the book and see what you can get going now. Lot's of stuff I'll bet.

CC

I haven't been able to start anything. But I am not sure I need to start anything actually as I don't have that many squares available. I only have one 4' x 4' garden (and some pots) and I put 6 squares of garlic on Halloween. (However, I haven't seen much action there as yet so maybe I will have many more squares than I think at this point.)

I want to do spinach, carrots, chard, beets, and green beans for sure. I am so so about peas since I don't have a trellis. Perhaps they will work in a large pot with a tomato cage? But how many plants must one have to actually reap enough peas for a few meals? I will do tomato plants (2) in pots, one slicing and one grape and have always purchased those plants. Last year was a terrible year for tomatoes here, though.

What do you think: peas, spinach and beets can go in my SFG now and wait on the rest?

If you can work your ground, those seeds can be sown now cpl.

camprn wrote:If you can work your ground, those seeds can be sown now cpl.

Thank you for that confirmation. Just to check: working the ground does not mean it is unfrozen to the total 12" depth of my SFT, right? Only the first few inches where the seeds go in is necessary. Do I have that correct?

Oh, and one more thing. Can any of those go in pots yet? I think I remember from last summer that temperatures/soil is not as stable in the pots so they do not withstand the cold as well. (So, maybe no spinach in the pots, yet? ....but I would love some there....)

I am not sure, but I think now is a good time. I always consider those 3 to be able to be sown in cooler temps. Check the individual vegetable listings in myfolia.com for soil and germination temps.