Northeners: Anyone else Zone Pushing ths Year?

[Sodak]

I will start 4 or 5 on 17 Mar for WOWs.That is 15 seeds to get one of 5 varieties out early. Still deliberating on which ones get a WOW.
The rest on Easter this year.

[SharonRossy]

Last year I started my seeds March 23rd and it was too early. I can't plant out before the end of May, beginning of June. So as tempted as I am, I decided to only start my seeds around April 1st. Otherwise they got too tall and started flowering before I could plant out.

[LindyAdele]

Last year I started on March 15th with my Tomatoes, and it was WAY too early. I couldn't plant out until the first week of June because of frosts and snow. I was carrying the poor plants out (50 or more) in and out every time we had the least bit of sun, because I had no greenhouse and couldn't fit more than a third of them under my lights at a time.

So. Peppers are starting this week for me. Tomatoes I will start on April 1st.

[Redbaron]

I am finding here that even though average weather gets warmer and warmer and it appears as if the zone is pushing up, the "late frost" events are slowly creeping the opposite direction. This is very frustrating. Last year the last frost was so late, it was followed by temps in the high 90s just a week later. I end up basically with no spring! Just a warm spring like lingering winter followed by summer!

Now for frost tolerant crops like onions and brassicas.... For sure those crops are zone pushing!

This is why last fall I took a cutting from a tomato plant that managed to survive without any damage the first two hard frosts of fall. It is still alive but looking quite sad now. If I can keep it alive a bit longer I will save seeds and I may have my variety I can plant in late April, early May and still not have to worry about those dreaded late frosts.

[barefootgardener]

I planted herbs, onions and cardoon at the end of January, all which are a few inches high and have been transplanted. I started celery on Jan. 20, and half are transplanted so far. I currently have them growing in a sunny window.

I started my tomatoes last thursday. A few varieties are starting to emerge. My indoor temps are kept usually between 67 and 70 degrees, so the plants will grow sturdier, slower and stockier. I have to start early here in our zone four if I want ripe tomatoes before our first hard frost. A lot of heirloom varieties I grow are mid to late season so they need the head start. I have an unheated greenhouse that my seedlings will be transported to when I run out of window space and the temps are mild on sunny days. I plant around thirty to to forty tomatoes in my unheated greenhouse in early to mid May. The rest will be planted outside in the garden once the soil warms which is usually towards the end of May. I am always prepared to keep them covered as needed and put soda bottles filled with warm water down in the cage so that proctects them from the chilly temps we might get.

Over the weekend I planted a fair amount of kale, spinach, swiss chard, broccoli and bok choy. I will seed a few more in mid April. I have a cold frame I can put the transplanted seedlings in on mild days.

We have plans to build another recycled greenhouse this summer. This one will be be heated with wood heat. Plans are still in the works.

Ginny

[Tormato]

Start them???!!!
I don't even want to look at them for about another month...
...or organize them, as they are currently spread around in about 20 one gallon containers.

If I start tripping over them, maybe I'll do something. That's a possibility, as I get snow blindness at this time of the year.

[Cole_Robbie]

My first seeds are sprouting. Taxi from Johnny's wins the speedy sprouter award: http://i.imgur.com/mz8stIs.jpg

[Jwb4707]

I started my peppers last week, I'll start some tomatoes this weekend, most next week, and plant the first week of May, god it's been a long winter!

[taboule]

I started some peppers and onions Feb 1st. Yesterday 3/1 I started some greens: lettuce and brassicas, and...drum roll... 4 varieties of tomatoes. I couldn't resist, just had to, record snow/cold be darned.

Last year I started feb 15, so now I resisted for 2 more weeks. I selected early types, including one container type. I figure I can easily manage to specially baby a handful of plants, lots of light indoors, take them out if (when) it gets warmer. Maybe this year I'll finally try to build a small hoop house.

One of my yearly objectives is the earliest tomato I can grow. Last year the first 2 plants that produced had the bloom(s) when I set them out. The unusually rough weather makes the challenge (and the result) that much sweeter. Breaking the rules often pays off for me.

Next week will be my b-day, will take the day off and spend it to start many more toms, some eggplants, and pot-up some of my peppers. Life is good.

[JLJ_]

Originally Posted by Redbaron

. . . last fall I took a cutting from a tomato plant that managed to survive without any damage the first two hard frosts of fall. It is still alive but looking quite sad now. If I can keep it alive a bit longer I will save seeds and I may have my variety I can plant in late April, early May and still not have to worry about those dreaded late frosts.

Have you thought about rooting some cuttings from your sad overwintered frost defying champion? I've had good luck with doing that with overwintered tomatoes that became discouraged after the long winter. Their cuttings -- even sections of just healthy green bare stem that included some leaf nodes -- rooted and made strong plants to set out early that were, of course, exactly the same genetics as the good performing plants brought in to escape the winter.

[Gardeneer]

First time trying to upload an image. Finally got it.

On zone Pushing;

This is my alternative to WOW.
I make cages from rabbit fence and wrap them with bubble wrap, with big bubbles. So in this case air bubble act as insulator, and barrier against the wind cooling AND transmits solar heat The heat is then absorbed by the soil keeping the root warmer. Alternatively, the top also can be covered at night in order to keep the warm air from going out.

[Lindalana]

About half of my seeds started Feb 28 germinated. Just got another order for WOW to add to my already 30 plus from previous years. Keep saying to myself I should try floating row covers option. Might do it with peppers and eggplants this year.

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by JLJ_

Have you thought about rooting some cuttings from your sad overwintered frost defying champion? I've had good luck with doing that with overwintered tomatoes that became discouraged after the long winter. Their cuttings -- even sections of just healthy green bare stem that included some leaf nodes -- rooted and made strong plants to set out early that were, of course, exactly the same genetics as the good performing plants brought in to escape the winter.

Absolutely. This is a rooted cutting. The reason it is sad is that I don't use lights or heated greenhouses. So the window just isn't enough. As soon as it warms up enough for my small seedling greenhouses it's going outside and should perk up quite a lot. If I can keep it alive long enough.

[NarnianGarden]

I'll start them next month - they take so much space in my small flat! Last year was a jungle that I won't repeat.

With my balcony and the sunny location, the seedlings will grow strong and sturdy anyway...

[Rairdog]

Zone 5 Plant out between 5/1-5/15


Zone 7-8 Plant out AP beds 3/15-4/1


Zone 10 ish Start seeds 1/15-4/1. I might try lettuce/greens all winter next year.