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Is it too cool at night to plant seedlings now? Currently low 50's at night.

I did this on Sunday and by Tuesday night most had wilted and turned a little yellow. I did water with Miracle-Gro veg. Followed instructions. Started in early to mid march. Most seedlings are a few inches some larger. I'm using those little peat pods that you water and they grow.

On a side Note I dislike crows. In 2 days they killed about about a dozen small seedlings going for the seed.


DG

What type of seedlings are you planting?

Sugar pees, watermelons, peppers 4 or 5 types, herbs, onions, garlic, corn, sun flowers, tobacco, cucumber, squash Z, spinach, carrots, giant pumpkins, tomatoes beefsteak and hybrid. Might have forgotten something.

DG

Yes, probably a bit early. Figure out when the last frost will be in your area and plant after then.

Diesel Grinch,

I think you are probably OK with the Sugar Peas and Onion sets but Peppers and Tomatoes are warm weather crops, I believe that Cucumbers and Squash are as well. I have had my seedlings (Peppers and Tomatoes in pots) out for a week or so now but the ground in the garden is still cool and I can always bring the seedlings in if we get a cold snap.

Garlic is very hardy so I doubt you will have a problem there but since it is harvested in mid-summer it is best planted in late summer of early fall for the next year.

Buy new Garlic this year to plant in the correct season, the cloves you have now should have been put in last year and are old. You can plant what you have now but don't expect much of a harvest this year. Here are some tips for Garlic.

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6465

Norm

Thanks for the help. This started as something fun to do with the kids. Putting seeds into those little peat pods with 6 and 4 year old was fun. Get them involved with the outdoors more. I enjoyed the couple of gardens I had as a kid. Thinking I'm going to Home depot to pickup a few cheaters just in case I killed off the seedlings. I don't think so but the wife will kill me if all I have to show is a dirt field. I wish I spent more time preparing for the garden. But we live and learn.

Been doing some reading and will start a compost bin. My current leave pile has grass mixed in and while I don't put anything on my lawn grass clippings don't look to be the best.

Someone alluded to it earlier, but it seems that hardening off the seedlings for a week by leaving them out in the daytime and taking them in at night is pretty widely agreed upon as the smart way to transition plants from starter cells to the ground. I guess the shock can be a bit drastic otherwise.

Looks like a bunch of the seedlings are recovering. Still have some yellowing. I have Miracle-Gro veg. Should I get something else to help with the yellowing?

DG

If you can get some cover on things like the tomatoes and peppers, cukes that will help. I use old milk jugs, cut the bottom off and cover the plant. Take the lid off during the day for air circulation. I also use floating row covers to "cheat" a bit if I want to get em in early. I warm the soil with black plastic or landscape fabric, plant directly in that, cover the seedlings. Let them get some size and when the danger of frost is past, I remove the black plastic/fabric and mulch the devil out of the bed.

Good thing I pull all the seedlings back in. They are call for a frost tonight. Thanks for all the help so far.

Anyone know of a good way to keep crows away?

DG

DG

I especially like the part about involving your kids. Both my sons (6 and 9) have been involved the first garden I've been able to plant in 20 years, too much time spent on the road making a living. The 9 year old in particular is taken by it, has his own tomato plant and keeps watch for the Georgia thumpers.

Wouldn't trade the time with them for anything.

As long as the tempreture doe snot drop below 40F, it should okay to most of the warm whether plants such as tomatoes and squash.

Before planting seedling to groud, you'll need to harden them by a gradual epxosure to sun and wind. If the color of the seedling is still yellowish, leaves and stems are thin and tender, they are not ready for transplating yet.

Here is a question. I have some tobacco plants and heard that tomato plants do not get along with tobacco plants. Any truth to this? The seedlings of both are right next to each other and I don't see anything wrong yet?

Having the kids help is rewarding and then some.

Now I heard hanging some tin pie pans around helps keep crows away?

DG

Diesel Grinch,

They both are hosts for tobacco mosaic virus. Exactly what this means to you in your garden is unclear to me. If both plants are healthy then I don't see an issue. To play it safe you could relocate the tobacco plant out of your garden or even destroy it if you do not have a lot of time and money invested in it.

[url]https://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG1168.html[/url]

Norm