Is it too risky to plant out?

arivaraci · March 30, 2012

Here we are and it isn't even April! Only one night in the next 10 days is forecasted below 50 degrees. Half my seedlings are 12-18 inches high, and I am fighting the urge to put them in the ground. I am generally not a risk taker (as I used all of my risk chips up in my youth).

How risky is it? Are there others in the 7a/7b range planting out in gardens?

saltmarsh · March 30, 2012

I direct seeded a few watermelons and cantelopes 9 days ago and about half are up.

If we get our normal "Blackberry Winter" sometime in April, I'm going to cover them with dry ice shippers. You can get them for free. Most businesses that use them throw them away, just ask them to save them for you. They're normally 12" x 12" x 12" with 1/2" foil faced foam on the inside. They are more effective than wall o waters and the price is right. Claud

Boutique Tomatoes · March 30, 2012

Interesting! What kind of businesses get stuff shipped to them regularly in dry ice shippers?

saltmarsh · March 30, 2012

Doctors Offices
Pharmacies
Labratories
Just about any business which ships or recieves things which require it be kept cold. They are also used with ice as well as dry ice.

If you bury them in the ground a couple of inches, they should deter voles also.

And next you'll want me to explain how to modify the boxes for the garden....

Claud

babice · March 30, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by arivaraci

Half my seedlings are 12-18 inches high, and I am fighting the urge to put them in the ground.

Holy huge growth! When did you put the seeds in? I'm jealous! Geesh maybe I'm doing something wrong. I put my seeds in around 3/15 or so -- they are currently about 2-3 inches high. Of course, I'm in zone 5b so I knew that even starting the seeds on 3/15 was earlier than they usually recommend for this zone. Depending on how many plants you have, I think if I were you in that zone I would try at least one of each type out. Of course, I'm a tom-growing-newbie so what the heck do I know?

But I did live in the South for a long time and I know what the weather is like. I think I would take a risk on some of them if you have more than one variety.

arivaraci · March 31, 2012

Started my first batch mid-January and then my second mid-february. I have a third batch that's just budding. I am trying for staggered plantings to have fresh tomatoes over a longer period than last year.

My brothers (who disperse seedlings to other family members) start their seeds in January - they are in Alabama. Of course, talking to them gets me antsy!

PaulF · March 31, 2012

With temps in the mid-to-upper 80s this weekend it is very tempting, but we will be back into the 30s-40s next week so I am still going to wait a while. Soil temps are climbing too, so I may just have to give in on a few things.

livinonfaith · March 31, 2012

Avivaraci, I'm just South of you and I'm only putting out stuff that can take a quick frost or that I can protect. That said, my seedlings aren't ready yet, so the urge isn't as strong!

That will change in a couple of weeks, I'm sure.

I am thinking that mid April sounds good. By then, we should have a forecast that covers most of the end of April and, unless a massive cold front moves down, I can't see us getting anything too ugly after that.

That said, I know people last year that planted out tomatoes in March and just threw a sheet of plastic over them if it got too cold. They said their tomatoes were loaded up, they canned what they wanted for the year and they pulled most of them up by late July!

So, you may be on to something.

ChrisK · March 31, 2012

I am ready to put mine in the ground! They are currently out in the sun for a few hours per day and overnight tonight to start to harden them off a bit. I am shooting for them to be in the ground by the 7th!

Ruth_10 · March 31, 2012

If you have backups, I'd take a chance on putting a few out. I like diversifying both plant varieties and plant out dates. That way, something usually hits it right.

I'd be putting a few out where I am if I hadn't only started the seeds three days ago! Even so, I have 7 Green Giant, 7 JD's, 10 County Agent, and 5 Ethyl Watkins Best up already.

babice · March 31, 2012

Oh man - I went to a nursery this afternoon and they had tons of tomatoes set out ready to buy. I was shocked. They had a lot of them toward the back too that look like they were just started from seed but I couldn't believe they have so many ready for planting. I can't imagine anyone planting this early in this area. I was thinking I'd be doing good to plant the first week of May.

arivaraci · March 31, 2012

Put out a few, all of which I have back-ups for. Really hoping that they make it, as I planned carefully for early, mid and late harvest.

Hoping to have tomatoes all year!

keylimin · April 1, 2012

I'm out here on the coast east of you, and I've had the same "antsy" problem. I have a greenhouse and started mine really early so they are really ready to get out. So I tried a few last weekend and put more out today. Most all are 24" to 36" and blooming already! Hope for that early crop, and more seedlings are on the way too. Good luck!

mysidx · April 1, 2012

I've had my plants in for four weeks now, and they are looking good.I planted them deep when they were about 12" tall, but I'm afraid at the rate these temps are rising we will be in the 90s' early this year.

March 30, 2012	#1
arivaraci Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 199	Is it too risky to plant out? Here we are and it isn't even April! Only one night in the next 10 days is forecasted below 50 degrees. Half my seedlings are 12-18 inches high, and I am fighting the urge to put them in the ground. I am generally not a risk taker (as I used all of my risk chips up in my youth). How risky is it? Are there others in the 7a/7b range planting out in gardens?

March 31, 2012	#7
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,289	With temps in the mid-to-upper 80s this weekend it is very tempting, but we will be back into the 30s-40s next week so I am still going to wait a while. Soil temps are climbing too, so I may just have to give in on a few things. __________________ there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.

March 31, 2012	#10
Ruth_10 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MO z6a near St. Louis Posts: 1,349	If you have backups, I'd take a chance on putting a few out. I like diversifying both plant varieties and plant out dates. That way, something usually hits it right. I'd be putting a few out where I am if I hadn't only started the seeds three days ago! Even so, I have 7 Green Giant, 7 JD's, 10 County Agent, and 5 Ethyl Watkins Best up already. __________________ --Ruth Some say the glass half-full. Others say the glass is half-empty. To an engineer, it’s twice as big as it needs to be.

April 1, 2012	#14
mysidx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Baton Rouge,Louisiana Zone 8b Posts: 340	I've had my plants in for four weeks now, and they are looking good.I planted them deep when they were about 12" tall, but I'm afraid at the rate these temps are rising we will be in the 90s' early this year. __________________ Rob

March 30, 2012	#3
Boutique Tomatoes Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Northeast Wisconsin, Zone 5a Posts: 1,109	Interesting! What kind of businesses get stuff shipped to them regularly in dry ice shippers?

March 30, 2012	#4
saltmarsh Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: 2 miles south of Yoknapatawpha Zone 7b Posts: 662	Doctors Offices Pharmacies Labratories Just about any business which ships or recieves things which require it be kept cold. They are also used with ice as well as dry ice. If you bury them in the ground a couple of inches, they should deter voles also. And next you'll want me to explain how to modify the boxes for the garden.... Claud

March 31, 2012	#8
livinonfaith Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina Posts: 1,332	Avivaraci, I'm just South of you and I'm only putting out stuff that can take a quick frost or that I can protect. That said, my seedlings aren't ready yet, so the urge isn't as strong! That will change in a couple of weeks, I'm sure. I am thinking that mid April sounds good. By then, we should have a forecast that covers most of the end of April and, unless a massive cold front moves down, I can't see us getting anything too ugly after that. That said, I know people last year that planted out tomatoes in March and just threw a sheet of plastic over them if it got too cold. They said their tomatoes were loaded up, they canned what they wanted for the year and they pulled most of them up by late July! So, you may be on to something.

March 31, 2012	#9
ChrisK Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 1,448	I am ready to put mine in the ground! They are currently out in the sun for a few hours per day and overnight tonight to start to harden them off a bit. I am shooting for them to be in the ground by the 7th!

March 31, 2012	#11
babice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Alabama Posts: 643	Oh man - I went to a nursery this afternoon and they had tons of tomatoes set out ready to buy. I was shocked. They had a lot of them toward the back too that look like they were just started from seed but I couldn't believe they have so many ready for planting. I can't imagine anyone planting this early in this area. I was thinking I'd be doing good to plant the first week of May.

April 1, 2012	#13
keylimin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Outer Banks, NC Posts: 15	I'm out here on the coast east of you, and I've had the same "antsy" problem. I have a greenhouse and started mine really early so they are really ready to get out. So I tried a few last weekend and put more out today. Most all are 24" to 36" and blooming already! Hope for that early crop, and more seedlings are on the way too. Good luck!