Weather not cooperating

[bigbubbacain]

Ten more days! I can't stand it anymore!

This definitely changes my seed starting date for next year.

[kwselke]

It's futile to predict the weather in Texas ten to fourteen days out, much less this time next year. Staggered seed start dates are the answer, and knowing where to buy last ditch seedlings is handy too.

[Mojo]

Buchanan's has a huge supply of JD's C-Tex just now! But "now" isn't the issue, it's "three weeks hence" that might be the point.

I have restarted some of the ones that failed earlier and they have come up, so I will have at least three very late starters. Next year as well, I think I'm just going to start everyone in gallon pots with cling wrap in the early going and adding more soil as we go, just so that I don't have to move anyone around period! Gallon jugs definitely give me some wiggle-room on keeping them indoors.

[Zana]

Sitting here in Sugar Land and can't believe how WARM it is...I'd have a hard time not wanting to plant out right now. But then again, since I won't be planting here, I'll be back home before I'm planting. But sure is nice not to look at snow...lol.

Zana

[b54red]

I already have some mulch but was planning on waiting til the fabric had warmed my soil before applying the mulch over it. I was wrong about the amount it was only 225 ft long. I checked my tree again today and the buds have suddenly swollen but they aren't opening yet; but this is very promising. I've seen it do this and the leaf buds open right away and I have seen it hold for weeks before opening. At this point I'll be watching everyday and when it starts leafing out I'll plant string beans and start setting out tomatoes and peppers within a week or so if they are ready.

Originally Posted by bigbubbacain

You'll definitely want to put mulch over the fabric as well. The fabric is great, but it doesn't suppress weeds on its own. I finally took the plunge yesterday and bought tons of Black diamond mulch. I know it's been dyed, but it's labeled a safe to use around food crops, it's black, and it will decompose into the soil. I'm going to put it on thick and monitor my soil temps before planting.

[duajones]

10 day forecast looks pretty good beginning Wednesday with lows in the 50's and 60's. I plan to go in the ground that day and hope for no more frost. My plants have grown quite a bit since being put into gallon containers a few days ago. I will be doing something similar to Earl's hole method since I wasnt able to till in any organic matter this year because it was just too wet. And this year I wont be adding mulch right away, waiting until the temps rise a little before adding it

Mojo: Be careful not to till that clay soil when it is too wet. It will make a mess out of your soil structure completely ruining the tilth of the soil.

[bigbubbacain]

Originally Posted by kwselke

and knowing where to buy last ditch seedlings is handy too.

That's usually the route I take. I'm also starting a few of my cherry varieties in pots in my greenhouse just because they're suffering the most.

[desertlzbn]

Chiming in from the AZ desert here, it has been REALLY rainy, and cold, not freezing, but pretty cold anyway. I am waiting for the mesquite trees to bud out. That is my indicator, as soon as buds start showing, then you know no more freezes. Even though I have Mature plants in the ground that I was able to overwinter with lights and sheets, I am hesistant to get new baby plants in the ground. The ground temp is around 55-60 so I think we should be ok. I am just worried about the wind. It was really bad on Sat. I think I am going to start hardening off the biggest of the plants this week. They stay outside all day, but I think I am going to start leaving them out at night. Lows are around 45, does that sound high enough to start leaving them out?
I am just worried that if I don't get them out soon, the 100 degree temps are just going to get here too fast.

[Mojo]

Yeah, that's why I left the broccoli standing in Bed No. 2. I'm going to have to retill No. 1 anyway, didn't get the phosphate in --and no, I don't worry about the worms, I didn't see any (!). I think they're all out in the lawn right now, because every time I pull a dandelion there's a wiggler in the roots. They'll come back once they realize I'm putting chicken poop in the ground.

Scalped the back yard to get the thatch off, have it sitting in a corner awaiting use as mulch. Will do the same to the front next week. Decomposing grass is catnip to the wigglers once it's down.

[duajones]

Low will be around 45 tonight and then in the 50's for a while but it will be very windy over the next few days. I still plan to get them in the ground this afternoon once it warms up a bit and hope for the best

[barkeater]

Don't do it Duane! There is nothing that beats up tender tomatoes worse than a cold wind...unless its raining too.

[duajones]

Too late, I already have them planted. The breezy weather that is predicted doesnt include cold temps. Highs around 70 and lows in the mid 50's to low 60's. I cut back on the number of plants I am growing this year. 15-18, havent completely decided yet with 13 in the ground at this point. Hope I didnt make a mistake

[barkeater]

That sounds like mid summer weather up here! I misread your post and thought your highs were in the 50's. I'm almost back down to that, I'll have no more than 20, tops, this year down from 44 a couple years ago.

[b54red]

Originally Posted by duajones

Too late, I already have them planted. The breezy weather that is predicted doesnt include cold temps. Highs around 70 and lows in the mid 50's to low 60's. I cut back on the number of plants I am growing this year. 15-18, havent completely decided yet with 13 in the ground at this point. Hope I didnt make a mistake

Good luck with your early planting; I'm jealous.I can't believe it is that much warmer where you are. We are still supposed to have freezing for the next two nights and highs in the 50's and the wind is brutal. I'm worried about my spring broccoli and cabbage that are in cups outside hardening off. I now have a few tomatoes and peppers ready to pot up. Still need to work in more manure before I plant; but they're forecasting rain early next week. My tree still hasn't given me the go ahead so I'll wait on everything except lettuce and things like broccoli.

[duajones]

10 day forecast looks pretty good at this point with the exception of the expected wind. If I tried to wait out the wind here I would never get them planted. March is always windy here. These little plants are tough however. Had a terrible storm spring 2008 with real heavy wind and rain. I was surprised to see I still had plants when I got home that day. They looked really bad but in two days it was like nothing had ever happened.