Well, I used bad judgement but I planted a few tomato plants and one pepper. The weather has been pretty warm, the growing season has been declared by NOAA and the plants were getting really leggy with only the window light to grow by. Has anyone else jumped the gun on planting?
Tomatoes and Peppers
Not yet. Will probably plant the summer veggies in the next week or so.
I checked the weather and it's going to be in the mid 30's overnight one day next week. I'll cover if I have to. My only holding place in the house is in the living room in front of the picture window with the only southern exposure I have. Nevertheless the tomatoes are leggy. I just needed them to be out of here so there they are. Perhaps they'll slow their growth until the weather improves. I cut off the flowers and buried the stems a bunch to take advantage of all that spindly growth. Guess I'm going to find out.
I planted my tomatoes in my *n*e*w* Earthbox! It's on wheels so I can wheel it right up by the house and cover it if I need to. So far so good. I'm like Candy - no space inside!
I will not plant my peppers out until JUNE. Rule of thumb with Peppers you dont want them under 50 degrees or they get sad and sulky.
Now that I have over 200 of them planted, you dont want the Nitrogen to get low or the leaves will start to turn yellow _ hello I started my yellow period_ It comes from over watering and the nitro starts to loose........... I talk too much
200 Peppers! What do you do with them all? What kind of peppers? I guess my one bell pepper plant will be sad and sulky. My husband has all his habaneros (sp?) outside but up against the house waiting to be planted. His bed isn't ready yet.
I wait too.... in a couple weeks the tomatoes go out.... and a couple weeks after that the peppers go out
carrielamont, I'll be waiting to hear how you like that earth box. I just figure the deer would love it. Buffet!
Hmmm, I got to keep my tomatoes after they were up on the patio table last year. I'm hoping this year to keep LOTS of tomatoes up on a platform somewhere.
Mine are planted and I'm hoping for the best. It's been warm till now. I'm hoping the bouce off the house will help.(I have a small yard.)
I tried a few peppers outside since the weather has warmed up so nicely, but I am keeping the tomatoes and the rest of the peppers inside under lights for at least another week.
May 12th now - I wont put peppers out for another 2-3 weeks. Tomats are different. They will start to go out this weekend - maybe. Now - If They dont dance and have their arms up in the air clapping and doing the wave - I can go back into the GH and pull more out. I have nothing to loose.
Gonna start peas, beans and beets this weekend for sure. From seed!
They had frost warnings last night, but being 2 blocks from the lake(water 48), I was fine. Farther inland was colder .
I need an early warning system - it takes me too long to react to ANYTHING.
My tomatoes got sunburn, but otherwise look okay. I've had that happen before. I'm rather impulsive. Our weather has been above freezing so far and I have row cover if I need it. The tomatoes and peppers went into the school garden yesterday as well, because the scheduling and storage issues are actually worse there than mine at home. Just have to hope for the best. My peas are already climbing the trellis. They seem quite happy and I planted a second sowing this weekend. The mesculin mix is harvestable and the spinach is coming. Some how, we only got one sweet pepper plant but my husband got 4 hot peppers at the farm project plant sale last weekend so I'll be really upset if I loose that one plant. I shouldn't have trusted DH to remember what I asked him to get.
Haven't put my toms or peppers out yet, MAYBE next week. They are ready to go! I DO have spinach and snap peas going outside nicely though!
My peapods, which I planted on a whim, are growing - now to find a trellis!
Isn't it fun? One year I went to the farmer's market and bought some sugar peas and my daughter and I had them eaten before we got home. That was the beginning of my pea odyssey. I just have three sticks, two upright, one across with trellis netting hanging down. Last year I had peas, beans and cucumbers on them. This year will be more of the same I guess.
Good job. Wish I could say the same. Maybe tomorrow. On my way out to a meeting.
My tomatoes went in yesterday, the peppers will wait another 2 weeks.
Everything is potted up and living outdoors, I move them to a warm spot or bring them in on really cold nights.
To prevent sunburn, place them in dappled shade for a few days before planting. I've had bad luck planting things directly from indoors.
I used to use a cold frame when I had lots of stuff. Now it all fits in a few trays, easy.
It was Dahlia and Glad planting time today. I have too much stuff, lol.
Andy P
Oh, Andy, if you're just doing glads, then I can't be awful for just doing mine now either -- I respect your judgment.
My tomatoes and peppers have spent the last 2 nights outside now. They are up on the deck next to the house.....if to cold they will come in for the night.
My tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers are wrapped for the next couple of days as the temperatures are expected dip into the 30's over night tonight and Monday.
Same here...I brought them into the mudroom...still cool but protected from the frost.
we planted everything on saturday - if the frost comes that will be a verrrrrrrrrrrrrrry bad thing - still have a dozen or so t-plants in the cold frame just in case - if everthing goes i drive to sherrie for replacements:)
Now that a GREAT back plan! Oh Sherrie....don't sell all your babies off!!
I've got most of my peppers, tomatoes, eggplant in a little greenhouse that DH built for me. Alas, it wasn't big enough so I still have some in the house. Been starting to harden them off: an hour in the sun(which I'll increase as the week goes on) then into the shade of the house. We don't have any trees close to the house so in order to place them in the dappled sunlight, I'd be walking abit w/ them. Hoping to have them planted this weekend.
Brrr! It's abit chilly today; the weathermen say only 52 for the high.
You're doing things the way they should be done, sannansandy. Mine are wrapped. The weather service canceled the frost advisory and issued a freeze warning. Some other unplanted things are inside and some are also wrapped on the front porch. This will teach me to be so impatient. There's got to be a way to grow seedlings and have cats. I just haven't figured it out yet.
Cats outside and plants inside?
frost warning here tonight - just went out and covered the veggy garden
Glad I'm so far behind!
Just sent DH out with a bed sheet and Christmas lights. First he says "it couldn't POSSIBLY freeze or frost in MILTON. But then looks at me and knows HE'LL be sleeping in the EarthBox if those darn seedlings freeze.
Do you Boston TV viewers remember meteorologist Todd Gross? He had a tip I found interesting. "If at sunset on a calm, clear night it's 42 ~ frost is due."
I lost one of my tomatoes to a cut worm last night, I found the culprit. I'm gonna push my luck and not cover them tonight. The peppers are indoors, the other potted veggies are sheltered.
Carrie, I'm late planting the Glads and other tubers. The first weekend in May works for me. Too much stuff.
Andy P
Let me add that my Cannas and first Dahlias are up, I planted them 2 weeks ago. Tubers can go in when the soil warms up, they decide when to sprout. I've planted dahlias from mid April to early May without a problem, they can wait for the right time as long as the ground doesn't freeze.
hope your right i planted elephant ears today
I DO remember Todd Gross! My glads will have to do.
Everything survived fine, no frost last night.
33 here this morning, glad I haven't put them out yet!
It got down to 39 here. Everything was fine. DH picked up some more cages for tomatoes and cukes.