Getting Started

moosedroppings 3/1/2011, 5:06 pm

I am in Arkansas and am new to gardening...Yesaterday I ordered tomato seeds Heinz 2653 and Momotaro and Bintje potatoes from Territorial Seed Co. Am I too late to plant these? I probably won't be able to plant anything else this year due to health issues, but I figured this would be a good start. I also bought 2 raised bed kits from Lowes today.

Any info on growing these would be greatly appreciated. I have a small greenhouse...should I wait till the last frost to put things in there? I am such a garden dummy.

quiltbea 3/1/2011, 5:29 pm

Tomato seedlings can't go outdoors til about a week after last frost and the potato tubers can be planted 2-3 weeks before last frost. It depends on those frost dates.

Good luck with your garden.

moosedroppings 3/1/2011, 8:52 pm

Thank you for the info...if I do get a frost will I need to cover the potaoes for protection?

How do I find the frost dates for my area?

Thanks- Shirley

**Furbalsmom** 3/1/2011, 9:45 pm

Moosedroppings, check out this thread. You can check your frost dates by zipcode and there is other info too.
This really should help you out.

Useful links

boffer 3/1/2011, 9:58 pm

moosedroppings wrote:...if I do get a frost will I need to cover the potaoes for protection?

Potatoes are hardy. A frost won't hurt the seed potatoes at all. If they've sprouted, they are frost resistant and can come back from a freeze, albeit a bit slower.

ander217 3/2/2011, 8:23 am

+1

One year we planted potatoes on St. Pat's Day, and they came up, then we had a hard freeze that killed all of the above-ground leaves and stems. They came back up, and we had another late freeze that killed them again. They came up the third time and made the best potatoes we've ever raised.

moosedroppings 3/4/2011, 10:35 am

Thank you all for the wonderful info...I'll be letting you know how this adventure goes...I have killed every house plant I have ever had so I hope this has a happy ending...for the plants at least LOL

kimbertangleknot 3/4/2011, 6:21 pm

moosedroppings wrote:Thank you all for the wonderful info...I'll be letting you know how this adventure goes...I have killed every house plant I have ever had so I hope this has a happy ending...for the plants at least LOL

I cannot have house plants. I have a black thumb with them, give me something to plant outside and I can give it a neon green thumb. Roses love me, tomatoes want me, beans want to be me. (hahahaha) I even killed one of those peace lily things or something. I've killed cactus, I've killed it all inside. Outside, it's perfect! Very Happy

moosedroppings 3/5/2011, 11:42 am

kimbertangleknot wrote:
moosedroppings wrote:Thank you all for the wonderful info...I'll be letting you know how this adventure goes...I have killed every house plant I have ever had so I hope this has a happy ending...for the plants at least LOL

I cannot have house plants. I have a black thumb with them, give me something to plant outside and I can give it a neon green thumb. Roses love me, tomatoes want me, beans want to be me. (hahahaha) I even killed one of those peace lily things or something. I've killed cactus, I've killed it all inside. Outside, it's perfect!

LOL I am hoping to be the same way...you might hear tomatoes crying for help

Old Hippie 3/6/2011, 2:36 am

Just water your tomatoes DEEPLY every day and they will love you. Just not on their leaves.

Gwynn

sharonrn 3/9/2011, 2:08 pm

Do you plant in the 4x4x6" boxes?
Have you ever straw mulched in deeper boxes?

ander217 wrote:+1

One year we planted potatoes on St. Pat's Day, and they came up, then we had a hard freeze that killed all of the above-ground leaves and stems. They came back up, and we had another late freeze that killed them again. They came up the third time and made the best potatoes we've ever raised.

moosedroppings 3/19/2011, 10:18 am

Sharonrn I have 2 4 X 4 boxes but don't have them in use yet. I am going to try planting my taters in old tires...I know there is a lot of controversy about using tires, but I'm gonna give it a go.

My question today is...since I bought my seed taters there are very small sprouts coming out...do I rub them off or keep them?

Old Hippie 3/19/2011, 10:21 am

keep them. that is the start of your plant.

Gwynn

FarmerValerie 3/19/2011, 10:25 am

I'm in the same group as Kimber, I once watered an air plant, only thing I can grow indoors is seedlings and cacti, I did have an aloe vera plant in the kitchen that survived 3 years though, but that was a neccsesity, I tend to burn myself......

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