I couldn't help myself...

I had to put a few things in the ground! It was so sunny and around 50*F.
I put in a few squares of lettuces and spinach. It's under my hoop house thingy. They should be ok right? It was only a few squares... no biggie if I have to replant.

It's only seeds!! Go for it.

We planted a few salad squares on Feb. 18 along with the onions - very, very early for us, but the bed was ready, it was sunny and warm, and you know the rest.

Everything is up that I planted, although it is growing slowly. Then Thursday night they forecast a freeze for us - temps around 30 degrees or a little lower. I awoke yesterday to a huge frost on the ground. I went to the garden around noon and everything looks fine - lettuces, radishes, arugula, spinach, cress, and onions. I had planted a few more half-squares on Wednesday for succession salads.

I still think we are in for some bad weather - when Easter is late we often get a late-spring snow or ice storm. But we'll see how things go. At least for the moment I can run to the garden and see green things. Woo hoo!!!

I hope you do the same, Aub.

I'm with ander217, watch the date of Easter.....

I have all kinds of things popping up in my garden, I'll try to get some pictures today and post them tonight or tomorrow. Our last frost date is next week-woohoo, but then I am optimistically cautious about planting things that can go in the ground for late spring and summer, that late Easter date has me being cautious. I may wait until next week to put corn, beans, & winter squash in the ground, just to be safe, our last frost date is not until the middle of November anyway.

I say go for it. It's not like you're out $20 if all fails. I would definitely be more cautious with transplants.

Have that 2nd row cover ready in case things are forecast to drop below 30*. And, staggering your plantings becomes paramount when gambling with Mommy Nature. She will exact her revenge on you at some point no doubt.

Personally, I have 12 squares off and running right now, and that is more successful than I had planned. Granted, winter isn't over yet, but I am really slowing down since I feel "overbudget" at the moment. The 2nd row cover inside my hoops has been the secret.

Another tip I would suggest is to start your seeds inside to speed up the sprout in cups of vermiculite....for easy removal. Once sprouted and they have their "baby ears," pop them directly into the MM. I have had tremendous success so far doing this. No uppotting and no hardening off....just right in there. After all, they are under the hoops and possibly a row cover, too, that won't allow the temps down below 32F. Again, if it doesn't work, you aren't out much.....but I'm telling you it has worked for me.

Aub wrote:I had to put a few things in the ground! It was so sunny and around 50*F.
I put in a few squares of lettuces and spinach. It's under my hoop house thingy. They should be ok right? It was only a few squares... no biggie if I have to replant.

Hey Aub. you and I are both in Zone5a. If I could see my garden I would be covering the hoop, filling my black water jugs and installing them under the hoop and sowing spinach, beets, chard, onions and kale and pea seed. These are all cold hardy and if you have a cover they will tolerate a light frost, but not a hard freeze (< 28F). Maybe I can get to my beds next week.

I'm going to hold off on my lettuce and radish for a bit longer. I may put those in by mid-April.

Aub wrote:I had to put a few things in the ground! It was so sunny and around 50*F.
I put in a few squares of lettuces and spinach. It's under my hoop house thingy. They should be ok right? It was only a few squares... no biggie if I have to replant.

I'll be a few days behind you, but I should have transplants in this week. It doesn't seem to me like you jumped the gun at all. Seems like cold weather plants going in this week is about what Mel would prescribe for many of us in Zone 5a here in the MidWest (later April frost dates).

I was three steps behind last year for my Spring Plants. The hot weather during their growing season hurt their growth more than a little cold ever could have early in the season.

Tomorrow is going to be a good day. Mostly sunny and 70!! I have some open squares in Bed #1 but they won't be open for long.

Aub wrote:Tomorrow is going to be a good day. Mostly sunny and 70!! I have some open squares in Bed #1 but they won't be open for long.

Same here....and our entire week for that matter. Someone will need to put me in a straightjacket so I will still have open squares for staggering. If they take their eyes off me, though, I'll pull a Houdini so fast their heads will spin.

Now if I could just get the rest of my beds filled with MM and I would be all set. Maybe I'll make a trip to the local greenhouse tomorrow...

I have empty boxes too, waiting to be filled so I can get some winter squash and summer munchies in them. I'll be doing another planting of beets, carrots (saving a square or 2 for nantes), spinach and lettuce just as soon as I can in the next day or two.

FarmerValerie wrote:I have empty boxes too, waiting to be filled so I can get some winter squash and summer munchies in them. I'll be doing another planting of beets, carrots (saving a square or 2 for nantes), spinach and lettuce just as soon as I can in the next day or two.

Save a square for the St. Valery, too--mailed them yesterday!

BackyardBirdGardner wrote:
Same here....and our entire week for that matter. Someone will need to put me in a straightjacket so I will still have open squares for staggering. If they take their eyes off me, though, I'll pull a Houdini so fast their heads will spin.

CAUTION!

You are talking about one of the disadvantages of SFG that is seldom mentioned: "not enough to do when one feels like playing in the dirt".

Sometimes it can be beyond the ability of a mere mortal to let squares lay fallow. The easy answer is to plant today and buy materials for another box tomorrow. The hard answer is to eat some chocolate and then go to the gym.

IMO, the easy answer pays off the most in the long run.

Thanks Megan, I have a square squared away for them. I really need to get some pictures of all the things peeking up that everyone sent me so they can see them!!! My laptop is crashing, and won't get online. I think I got my pictures backed up on disk, but I really need to add some more and post them. I will be eating broccoli in a week or two, if I can resist the temptation to "taste"....

Broccoli already? How did you manage that? I am jealous!

We bought some plants at Wal Mart or Lowe's, just cannot resist not getting a pack or two. The heads are about 2" across, I keep wanting to reach down and munch....

Megan wrote:Broccoli already? How did you manage that? I am jealous!

NE Texas is my guess. Mine are still so dinky. I am miles away from sampling still.

Edit: Oops....I didn't see the page cutoff and her reply.

'S okay BYBG, yep being in NE TX has a lot to do with it. We bought the plants about 3 weeks ago, got 8 that week, and 8 a week later. We have all kinds of neat things popping up. I like to think that those of us who get to plant early offer those of you who cannot hope that Spring is truly on it's way. My parents are in SW KY, and we are about 2 weeks ahead of them on things popping up, so hang on those of you in MO, you are about to get some dirt under your fingernails yet!!!

I thought I was just weird working in my garden at this time of year. The neighbors and friends have not even started to think about setting up their row gardens yet. I am getting weird looks and pessimistic comments. Like you said it is only seeds