Tomatoes - when to start seeds, when to plant out

Hi,

For the Wilsonville Oregon area, can anyone suggest when to start tomato seeds and when to plant them out? I have looked at last frost dates, and seen April 3 for Portland, and May 5 for Salem. I am right between Portland and Salem... Should I figure on early May for a last frost date?

Any advice from experienced veggie gardeners would be much appreciated!

Boel

I'm in Salem and I plan on starting mine (Black Trifele, Reisenstraube, Oregon Spring) in the first week of March for an early-mid May transplanting. I'd guess that you'd do better planning on the early May frost date, since your microclimate is closer to Salem's than Portland's. Does this help?

Illy

It helps a lot! Thank you!

Be sure to allow for a two week window especially since we are getting all this unusual weather this year. Soil temperature is how I gauge when to plant outdoors. You want to the soil to be around 60 degrees for heat loving plants like tomatoes. A soil thermometer can be your best friend! And be prepare to cover your plants if their is a threat of frost. I personally think April is pretty dicey for planting any plants that won't take to a spring frost.

Joyce

You might want to check out the Charley's Greenhouse Website: charleysgreenhouse.com
They sell plant protectors that I have used the past 2 years & I have found them to be invaluable for planting my tomatoes & peppers out early. I believe they are called "portable garden umbrellas", and come in different sizes.
Well worth it for my zone 7 area, easy to use & store.

I always like to start some tomatoes in Feb for early harvest, then i transplant them in end of April, surround with my version of W-O-W (big plastic bottles in which cranberry joice comes from Costco filled with water) and cover bottles and plants with row cover. It usually gives early tomatoes. Couple weeks before transplanting i put bottles with water around place where tomato will go and put black plastic as a roof leaving sides open for air flow. This usually heat soil and prevent it from being soaking wet if rain happens.

Brier why leave the sides open for air flow if you are just trying to preheat the soil ? Ernie

eweed, I found that it's better for soil not to cover it with plastic, and usually soil at this time of year very wet, so i like it to dry a little bit by leaving the sides open.