Seed Starting Dates

[thistlebloom]

Yeah, I am always anxious to get things out, but I do make sure to harden them off. Last year as I hardened them off, but before they went in the ground we had a sharp temp drop, so since I only had a few and didn't want to lose them I brought them back in. That may not have been a good plan, but we never got nights above 55* last summer. At least not very many! Most nights were in the 40*s at my house. You're right about the ground having an insulating effect and I'm following your lead with the low tunnels this year Journey.

 

[digitS']

Yes, I think I definitely should have hardened off the tomato plants last spring before putting the flats in the tunnel, Journey.

I have not grown that onion, Thistle'. Had to look it up on the Baker Creek website.

Are you sure that an onion from Australia would be a good choice for us this far north?

I just looked at Melbourne's latitude at the very southern end of the continent. It isn't as far south as Washington DC or Sacramento, CA are north.

S'

 

[thistlebloom]

Nope , not sure at all actually. I can't remember why I picked that one exactly, I may have been a little woozy and disoriented from non-stop catalog reading and hurried note scribbling... but I guess I'll have to see what it does...:/

 

[Collector]

I went to the garden center today and purchased flats and germinating soil for seed starting. now I just have to figure out when things should be started for this area and i am set. I had our frost dates written on a post it note around here somewhere now I cannot find it. I dont know why I write everything on post its, When my wife feels it is her duty to rid the world of them lol. This chart will be a big help with it though Thanks Steve.

ETA Oh, I did not notice that you reposted frost charts again. I think I will use May 10th for the target date To figure the seed starting date.

 

[digitS']

. . . just to revive this thread because those links in the first post, I feel, are very useful.

Many of us are getting very anxious to get things started for the new growing season that is waiting ahead for us. There are reasons to keep to a schedule. That schedule should be open to change and every year is different. Experience keeps a dear school and I haven't learned all the answers to the "when of things" despite starting my own plants for over 35 years .

If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it? ~ Albert Einstein

Just from last year, I can tell you that I'm not really willing to have onion seed in the soil at the end of January again. Onion seedlings can take a lot of cold but I was continually messing with those flats in my unheated greenhouse, trying to keep the soil in the flats from freezing :/.

Spring was really, really below normal for warmth in 2011! It was a record-setting cool start to the growing season here . Not only were the onions a bother to harden-off and all but the tomatoes especially caused me a lot of extra worry and work! This is despite having many of the same problems in 2010!

Too early of a start . . . . Needing to pot up just about everything to give the plants more room. More room for the plants in their larger pots -- not enuf room in the greenhouse!! Moving things into unheated plastic tunnels elsewhere in the yard. In and Out! Out and In!! Cold weather! Bright sunshine! Wind!!

I've gotten better at all this over the years but you might not have known it from my experiences in '10 & '11! One thing, I've gotten better at maintaining the growth of my plants - what's that mean?? They get bigger sooner!! Instead of puny little things that I can carry around, a dozen in 1 hand, they are big louts that are pushing and shoving at each other like yearling Herefords headed for the squeeze chute! It ain't no fun gettin' trampled by 10 week-old tomato plants :/!

People talk about planting by the moon. Hey! Using the calendar is planting by the sun! The moon is just using light from Ol' Sol. Down to Earth -- how high is the sun at mid-day? How many hours of daylight does your part of the world have in February and March? Where are you? Indoors? Yeah, well . . .

Steve

 

[lesa]

Steve, am I remembering correctly that you start your onion seeds indoors? I saved seed last year, and am going to try starting sets, from seed. I know you have great success- any tips would be appreciated.

 

[digitS']

Onions don't have to be started indoors, Lesa.

I find that it easier for me to do a good job of preparing the bed and then set the seedlings out early. Spinach seed, shallot and onion sets and onion seedlings are the earliest things I put into the open garden. Sowing the seed indoors - and it takes them a long time to grow - gives onions a good head start.

Day length is what will kick them into making bulbs and bring their season to a close. For larger bulbs, as well as earlier scallions, indoor sowings help.

Steve

 

[HunkieDorie23]

Steve back to the orginal post. What is the level 4 Prob. of Freeze. Is that the number of days you can expect to have frozen ground in a year? I found that a liitle confusing.


Teresa

 

[digitS']

Hi Teresa . . . you know, I might start calling you Teresa now instead of 'Dorie . . .

I was confused by your question until I selected in a state and looked at the NOAA Freeze/Frost data. Well, my 1st thought for "Probability Level (4)" was, "I don't know what the heck that means!"

Then, I looked at the very bottom of the charts. NOAA gives 2 explanations . Here is the one that makes some sense to me, "percent of days with temperatures at or below the threshold temperature." Wweeellll, I suppose that number has some importance to a meteorologist . . . but, I'm still wondering - "how?"

Okay, let's say that I've been comatose . . . . . . I wake up in the Jackson, Wyoming hospital. (I love picking on Wyoming, you'll see why in a minute). So, there I am lying in my hospital bed and -- I have NO IDEA what day or month it is!!! But! I'm curious if it is freezing outside !

So, I get on the hospital computer . . . what anyone would do after coming out of a coma ! I look up the Freeze/Frost data NOAA has for Jackson, Wyoming. And, there it is -- there is a 68% chance that I awakened on a day that the temperature will be 32F, or colder.

Good goobily goop!! I can't garden somewhere it freezes on 68% of the days each year!! So, I catch the next flight out of town . . . don't even bother to change out of my hospital gown!

Steve

 

[HunkieDorie23]

Thanks that helps and the TSA should clear you much faster in the hospital gown. No pockets to empty.