So, this is the "exciting" (read terrifying, confusing, exasperating) time of the year for a lot of us in cooler climates. Weather. Frost. When to plant?
So, I got to thinking. Let's say right now, you're guaranteed that the next month will have the majority of the days where the temps are in the mid 60s or higher, and nights where the lows are in the mid 40s or higher. Obviously, this could be time to plant. Here's the catch though. Over that time period, there will be at a few nights where the temps go lower. You're sitting on a batch of well started, well hardened off seedlings. Put a number (temperature) on the lowest temp you'd want to plant out in. In other words, answer the following questions: "If everything above is guaranteed to be true, I'll plant my plants in the ground so long as the coldest night doesn't go below ______ degrees."
ready, go!
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applestar
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FUNNY! AT first I wrote "...45 degrees for no more than two nights running and daytime high gets up to mid-60's." Then realized those are your exact planting out conditions (we think alike!) and you are asking about the allowable odd lowest extremes. 
OK, I would say 42 degrees by the forecast, allowing for possible dip as low as 38 actual. And of course I would cover them with floating cover.
OK, I would say 42 degrees by the forecast, allowing for possible dip as low as 38 actual. And of course I would cover them with floating cover.
When the soil is warm and there is no chance of frost. Why rush them into the ground for no reason? If there is a chance of frost it is probably still too cold generally for an ideal planting time.
My tomatoes are very small putting out their first true leaves, and they will be perfect for an early May planting with zero worries about the weather.
My tomatoes are very small putting out their first true leaves, and they will be perfect for an early May planting with zero worries about the weather.
Well for me if I start them at the right time I don't have to worry about them getting too big. It is important not to start them too early. Tomatoes get big fast.
Nice looking plants, by the way.
Nice looking plants, by the way.
Last edited by Peter1142 on Thu Apr 14, 2016 9:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Allyn
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Oh well, this looks like a Zone 6 party, so I can't play. 
If it gets down to low 40s two days in a row, it's the dead of winter here and while I have probably put a jacket on to cover my bare arms ( thick Yankee Northern blood), my husband is bundled up head to toe and can barely bend his limbs like a little kid in a snow suit (thin Southern blood).
If it gets down to low 40s two days in a row, it's the dead of winter here and while I have probably put a jacket on to cover my bare arms ( thick Yankee Northern blood), my husband is bundled up head to toe and can barely bend his limbs like a little kid in a snow suit (thin Southern blood).-
GardenThrive
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I'm planting mine out in the garden this weekend. I wait until the night time lows are consistently above 50 degrees. Here in Alabama I'll be able to grow from now all the way through late October early November. I've rushed my planting before, putting the seedlings out during low 40s temps and it seemed to slow their growth somewhat. Now I just remain patient, and try to time it so they don't get so big indoors before planting time. I usually only pot up once from seedling cells to 4in x 4in pots and it saves me a lot of hassle. Lots of warm weather in the forecast here and I can't wait for that first garden "mater"of the season. I always plant some cherry tomatoes to snack on while the bigger varieties mature.
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JayPoc
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Mine have spent the night outside every night the temps have been above 45 or so. The last few nights, temps have gotten down to the very high 30s/low 40s (when I leave for work at 6:30). I put them out in the weather and go, and they don't seem to mine. I don't really have a choice...it's either put them out or leave them inside all day out of the sun (or haul them back down here to work where I can micromanage them). I think they're naturally hardy because I've had them exposed to colder temps all spring. I would imagine a plant grown in a green house or inside in a controlled climate would not tolerate that at all.
I go with my feeling every year really, I don't even own a thermometer! :O
And also depends on what crops I'm planting. Some obviously goes into the ground alot earlier than others. (Yes even for tomatoes) But this year I'm not experimenting that much.
Therefor my comfort level is: When it feels right. I'm not very scientific about it.
And also depends on what crops I'm planting. Some obviously goes into the ground alot earlier than others. (Yes even for tomatoes) But this year I'm not experimenting that much.
Therefor my comfort level is: When it feels right. I'm not very scientific about it.
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JayPoc
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Well....I'm going to pull the trigger. I'll sleep on it tonight, and reserve the right to change my mind...but I may go in the ground with at least a few plants tomorrow or Sunday. Depending on who you ask, our 90% average last frost date is sometime in the first week of May. After tonight, the 10 day forecast shows no nights cooler than the mid 40s, and most nights in the low 50s or higher. That takes me out to the 24th/25th. I'll re-read the tea leaves tomorrow. Mr. Green, could you overnite that gut up here? I need a 2nd opinion.
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applestar
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re; mr.green's gut 
Good luck! We are still looking at 30's lows here, but I'm starting to rotate my mater babies outside during the day when nice. Working on setting up my picnic table nursery under the mulberry tree where it gets perfect amount of dappled sun/shade, but I have to prune the dead branches from the mulberry first. Last year, there were too many near misses with every wind storm. ;x
cold soil will stunt the plants.
I have a row of 2 hole cement blocks on top of the soil for planting when the soil is too cold.
The sun heats up the blocks and some I will have the wall 'o water around.
The 3 hole cement blocks' holes are too small to use.Chimney tiles also work but may freeze and break during the winters here.As the plants get bigger,the roots go into the soil under the blocks.
I have a row of 2 hole cement blocks on top of the soil for planting when the soil is too cold.
The sun heats up the blocks and some I will have the wall 'o water around.
The 3 hole cement blocks' holes are too small to use.Chimney tiles also work but may freeze and break during the winters here.As the plants get bigger,the roots go into the soil under the blocks.
Of course, there are zone 6's and zone 6's ... And, that is a new designation for here.
The local airport is several hundred feet higher in elevation but it can often be 38°f there and freezing here ... Then, the WS has missed their own location prediction the last two nights running by about 6° ...
I won't even look at local info on spring '15 since so many records were set. If I used a "consistently above 50°" guideline in a more normal year, I would have waited until July 2014 to set tomatoes and peppers out. Why rush them? I have hopes of ripe tomatoes in the garden rather than on the kitchen counter. Also, running out of indoor room for bigger pots in the spring is a reality. And yet, there is little doubt that setting the plants out in mid- to late-May results in stunted plants, especially with the peppers. Might I need to cover them for protection from frost? Probably in 1 year out of every 3 ...
How gardeners harden off plants in the spring without someone at home, I can hardly imagine. I think I'd need a 3-sided structure for them! Proper hardening off for sun, wind and cool temperatures is essential.
JayPoc, I think you are absolutely on the right course. Me? After all these years, I'd be better just to give up ...
Steve
The local airport is several hundred feet higher in elevation but it can often be 38°f there and freezing here ... Then, the WS has missed their own location prediction the last two nights running by about 6° ...
I won't even look at local info on spring '15 since so many records were set. If I used a "consistently above 50°" guideline in a more normal year, I would have waited until July 2014 to set tomatoes and peppers out. Why rush them? I have hopes of ripe tomatoes in the garden rather than on the kitchen counter. Also, running out of indoor room for bigger pots in the spring is a reality. And yet, there is little doubt that setting the plants out in mid- to late-May results in stunted plants, especially with the peppers. Might I need to cover them for protection from frost? Probably in 1 year out of every 3 ...
How gardeners harden off plants in the spring without someone at home, I can hardly imagine. I think I'd need a 3-sided structure for them! Proper hardening off for sun, wind and cool temperatures is essential.
JayPoc, I think you are absolutely on the right course. Me? After all these years, I'd be better just to give up ...
Steve-
huntress
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With where I live, I just aim for Mother's Day as a good date to have things outside. Today it's in the high 70's while last weekend it was barely above freezing. I'm taking some of seedlings outside to enjoy the great weather, but later this week it's supposed to dip into the 40's. So, we aren't quite there yet.
My daffodils just started blooming!
My daffodils just started blooming!
Snow might happen occasionaly, but when the ground has been warmed up already it usually does little harm that late in the season (in my experience) worst case they get stunned for a while. But thats my story over here, I don't know how much cold this late snowfalls might give you... Also I grow tomatoes mainly in pots by the housewall so they have some extra protection from that. We had snow in June as well! But it is very rare and I think you shouldn't count on it if it's not a common thing year after year.
With english not being my first language I have to admit I don't really get what you mean with overnite my gut up there. Or I'm unsure, do you mean like I would stay a night and get the feeling for you if its right time to plant? If you pay the ticket, and by the time I'm there is probably safe to plant so I can save you that money. I'm however unemployed at the moment so some travelling would not be too bad.
Another warning too, I love eating homegrown vegetables by the masses!
With english not being my first language I have to admit I don't really get what you mean with overnite my gut up there. Or I'm unsure, do you mean like I would stay a night and get the feeling for you if its right time to plant? If you pay the ticket, and by the time I'm there is probably safe to plant so I can save you that money. I'm however unemployed at the moment so some travelling would not be too bad.
Another warning too, I love eating homegrown vegetables by the masses!