Hi all, first year gardener here!
I live in zone 4 and our last frost date is May 15th.
When should I start tilling my soil? should I till more than once? what is the best type of store bought compost/soil to add to my garden? I will be growing:
bell peppers
tomatoes
zuchnnini
yellow squash
brocolli
beans
peas
onions
Thanks!
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- Senior Member
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- Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2011 1:46 pm
- Location: Southern Montana
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- Senior Member
- Posts: 123
- Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2011 1:46 pm
- Location: Southern Montana
Marlingardener,
thanks for your reply! A couple questions:
You said I can put peas, broccoli and onions in before my last frost date. How far before? once they've sprouted, if it frosts, wont that kill the plants?
I've thought about starting my own compost pile, but I don't know if it will/can happen. Even if it does, I still need store bought for this year. Any recommendations on a good brand/ mixture?
I haven't taken my soil to be tested yet. I need to do that.
It's a good thing I asked about tilling. I did not know it needed to be done multiple times. I would have tilled once, then planted.
thanks for your reply! A couple questions:
You said I can put peas, broccoli and onions in before my last frost date. How far before? once they've sprouted, if it frosts, wont that kill the plants?
I've thought about starting my own compost pile, but I don't know if it will/can happen. Even if it does, I still need store bought for this year. Any recommendations on a good brand/ mixture?
I haven't taken my soil to be tested yet. I need to do that.
It's a good thing I asked about tilling. I did not know it needed to be done multiple times. I would have tilled once, then planted.
-
- Senior Member
- Posts: 123
- Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2011 1:46 pm
- Location: Southern Montana
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- Senior Member
- Posts: 123
- Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2011 1:46 pm
- Location: Southern Montana
- Gary350
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 7396
- Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:59 pm
- Location: TN. 50 years of gardening experience.
I have no idea what zone 4 means, I don't even know what zone I live in.
Here in Tennessee we typically have out last frost about April 20. When I till depends on the weather I need about 4 days of warm sunny weather with no rain so the soil is dry enough to till. I till every day for a week early in the morning so the sun will cook and kill all the grass and weeds. After that I am ready to plant just as soon as the weather conditions are right.
I could plant tomatoes now but I will need to be prepaired to cover them up at night if we get frost.
Don't plant any seeds in the soil until the soil has warmed up to 65 degrees F unless it is a cold weather crop like peas, carrots, potatoes, onion. That is about the first week of May for me.
Here in Tennessee we typically have out last frost about April 20. When I till depends on the weather I need about 4 days of warm sunny weather with no rain so the soil is dry enough to till. I till every day for a week early in the morning so the sun will cook and kill all the grass and weeds. After that I am ready to plant just as soon as the weather conditions are right.
I could plant tomatoes now but I will need to be prepaired to cover them up at night if we get frost.
Don't plant any seeds in the soil until the soil has warmed up to 65 degrees F unless it is a cold weather crop like peas, carrots, potatoes, onion. That is about the first week of May for me.
-
- Senior Member
- Posts: 123
- Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2011 1:46 pm
- Location: Southern Montana
-
- Senior Member
- Posts: 123
- Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2011 1:46 pm
- Location: Southern Montana