When to plant outdoors

[EliLeonard]

I started my veggie seeds indoors, and quite a few have out grown their mini greenhouses. When is a good time to move them outdoors and into the ground?

Eli

[rainbowgardener]

Depends very much on what veggies you are talking about.

Lettuce, and other greens and salad stuff, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, peas and some others are cold weather crops and could likely go out already for you in Pittsburgh. Mine went out in March.

Tomatoes and peppers do not tolerate frost well (if well hardened off and covered they may survive light frosts, but they don't like it) and do best if planted once night time temps are in the 50's.

Squashes and melons and related plants are warm weather crops and don't want to go out until the soil is well warmed up. Put your finger a couple inches or so down into the soil. If it feels chilly, it's too cold for these.

If you still have the covers on the mini-green houses, get rid of them!

Key is hardening off. You can't just throw plants from indoors to out, they are tender and need to get used to it. Start by putting them out in a protected area for just a few hours and gradually increase it.

Watch the weather reports closely!

[garden5]

When you do finally plant outside, the best conditions to do it in are overcast/cloudy with not a lot of wind. Water them after you plant them.

[EliLeonard]

Thanks!!!