North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Erdman, James" <ErdmanJ@uwstout.edu>]

Our feeling on planting out tender plants is that the seeds won't grow in the 
packets, and so we always start a few tomatoes, peppers, cabbage family, 
etc., a month earlier than the main crop, so if we get some nice weather 
extra early, we have seedlings to plant out in the garden.  We have tomatoes 
and peppers out, only a few of each, and put out our main early crop of 
cabbage, brocolli, cauliflower, etc.  We do this most years, and seldom lose 
all of the extra early plantings.  This year we also have peas and carrots 
coming up already, plus overwintered lettuce and spinach.
Waiting until the end of May to plant  seems to waste lots of potential 
growing time.  If we lose those earliest plants, just plant again.
Since we get most of our food from what we grow ourselves, an early crop (as 
well as late into the fall harvests) are quite important to our diet, menus, 
and budget.
 
 
Jim, zone 4, Menomonie, WI

________________________________

From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org on behalf of Thomas Olenio

The difference may just be individual preference.  I do not want to risk the
plants being killed even at 10%.  I spend too much time working with seeds
and seedlings to risk them.

As my sage mother would ask...  You want to be right, or dead right?

Later,
Tom

-----Original Message-----
From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Mark & Helen
Angermayer
Sent: Saturday, April 28, 2007 11:09 AM
To: North American Fruit Explorers
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Don't plant tender items just yet

Here in our Zone 5b, the gov. maps show about the middle of April as the
average last frost.  The 10% day of last frost is May 1 (that means there is
a 10% chance of frost after May 1).  I looked at the long term forecast last
weekend, it looked pretty good so I took a chance and set out our tomatoes
Monday.  Weird the way zone 5's can be so different.

Mark
Kansas

----- Original Message -----
From: "Thomas Olenio" <tolenio@sentex.net>
To: "'North American Fruit Explorers'" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 28, 2007 8:47 AM
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Don't plant tender items just yet


> Hello,
>
> My rule of thumb for tender plant set out is Memorial Day in zone 5.
>
> I would never think about it this early.
>
> Master Gardeners in Minnesota have had an average planting date of May 28
> for tender plant, direct seeding in past trials.
>
> Later,
> Tom
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
> [mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Jim Fruth
> Sent: Saturday, April 28, 2007 9:05 AM
> To: NAFEX
> Subject: [NAFEX] Don't plant tender items just yet
>
>     The weather here in Minnesota is so nice...............70's during the
> day and I was tempted to set my tomato plants out in the garden.  Before
> doing so, I checked the weather in Churchill, Ontario which is just a few
> hundred miles to the North.  A high of 31 F is predicted for today.
>
>
http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/local/CAXX0078?from=s
> earch_city
>
> That cold weather will drift south just as soon as the jet stream changes:
>
>
http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/local/CAXX0078?from=s
> earch_city
>
> Jim Fruth
> Brambleberry Farm
> Pequot Lakes, MN  56472
> www.bberryfarm.com
> (218)568-8483 [Store]
> (218)831-7018 [My Cell]
>

<<winmail.dat>>