Too Late

I'm feeling like I'm waaaay behind here in CT in planting. However, I can't forget the first year we moved back from Hawaii (where we lived for seven years) and I planted my gardens in April -- got a good frost at the beginning of May and that was the end of most of my lovely gardens! I was going to build the beds this coming weekend and wait until the first weekend in May to plant. Is that too late?

Linda

So many of us feel we're too late. Especially after reading all the posts from folks in warmer climates. I just realized this week that I didn't even have my first box built until June 20 last year! I had herbs and flowers until November, so I have now relaxed and sent my panic out the front door while I calmly do appropriate 5b yard/garden work in the back yard.

Check your last frost date; refer to Mel's planting guide, and enjoy your day-to-day fun outside.

That's my thought.

Happy gardening.

Claire

I am sooo glad to hear you say I'm not too late! I, too, have been reading other posts, and seeing other gardens that are waaaay further along than mine! I only have in some lettuces and carrots. I knew that I was going to have minimal spring cool crops, it's just life this year. But I was really starting to panic that I was behind on my tomatoes, peppers, and 'lopes! But I usually don't put them in the ground until after May 15.

I decided to re-do the area of the yard where I put my herbs for cooking, and am excited that they are doing well.

Thanks for making me feel like I have a chance this year!
Nancy

Phew! I can relax a bit and breath again!

Linda

I am struggling with feeling like I am too late because it was so warm so early. But we are still just fine!

I haven't started yet either! My brother-in-law started two weeks ago though. He has had to cover and uncover his squares too many times. I will wait another week or so to start and check the weather for the next couple of weeks to make sure we don't have a frost predicted.

I drove around to three local nurseries last weekend. They don't have much out yet. There were a few cool weather crops and a few herbs but very little. It is odd though that the big box stores have lots out, even tomatoes.

In my area those big box stores that have crop transplants out already sell to the "real beginners" who don't frequent private shops. We SFGers know better. My local garden shop guy told me they won't have transplants until middle of May. He said there's no use letting them freeze!


Claire

I'm in Z5 Chicago Suburbs. My local Home Depot has had tomatoes for about a month now. It was hard to resist buying them because we had some early warm weather. I'm pretty new to gardening and new to this climate (I moved from zone 10 recently) But resist I did. Sure enough I went back to Home Depot after we had a frost and the tomatoes had taken a beating. They don't seem to care, the plants were on carts with wheels and they could've easily been wheeled in for the night. I called a local nursery the other day to see when they were going to be getting their tomatoes in and the lady told me they had just started to get a few varieties, but she told me not to plant them out until after Mother's day. You ask the people at Home Depot and they don't know anything. Guess where I'm buying my tomatoes?

I would never say that they are doing it on purpose, so that your tomato plants die and you have to buy new ones. I am not actually necessarily of the opinion that they would have such nefarious motives.

But, as others have mentioned, the nurseries do not have these things yet, and where I shop has signs all over the place telling us to be careful with these things.

I am so glad I waited ... we've had two frosts this week. Not really hard ones, but enough so that I'm sure I would have had unhappy (or dead!) plants.

Linda

Anyone in New England who plants really early must be prepared with row covers to protect those plants at nite. We get many frosty nites and when the weatherman says mid 30s I'm ready with my heavy row cover.
I just HAD to try an early start this year in Maine. I got started a bit late last year with my raised beds just being built the end of April.
I'm experimenting with heavy row cover (Agribon AG-19 that protects down to 28 degrees) and its working just fine for me. I keep it folded up beside the growing plots to use every nite lately. So far its working. My plants are still alive and well and growing a bit.
I started my own seeds this year, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, and put them out earlier than usual. The days can get mighty nice, in the 50s and 60s here. I'm hoping this experiment gives me an early harvest of these cool weather crops.
I even have Oregon Spring tomatoes already planted. They are touted as being ok to plant a month before the last spring frost. I'll find that out as well.
Just be prepared for the cold if you start anything really early and also be prepared to lose some of your crops if you forget.