Anyone in the east thinking of putting out the veggie garden early this year? The long-range forecasts are showing a very warm April. May 1 is my last frost date but its looking like I could plant as early as this coming weekend.
1 Like
They can have itā¦forecast here calling for upper 50s and sun at the end of the week. Supposedly into the 60s by the weekend.
It snowed yesterday a bit, barely enough to make bare ground white.
We have had a freeze in May here the last two of three years, so we are waiting until at least May to plant out. I havenāt even started my indoor seeds, but will next week because theyād be too big by our plant out day if I had started them in March.
I havenāt even plowed or tilled our plots since the soilās still too cold, and a bit wet. I think I will plow though, in a couple weeks. Some folks near us have already plowed.
You are maybe safer with an earlier plant out, but thereās always a risk before May. Your soil may still be a bit too cool for certain heat loving plants like tomatoes and peppers.
It sounds like your last frost date must be later than mine? I have never had a May freeze. This year it seems like the warm spell is good timing for an early plant out, for the mid-atlantic at least.
Got to 24 here this morning, yes, cold, but none of the trees are really totally awake here. No more freezing temps for another week after today.
Our average last freeze is April 20, Iāve been here for five garden seasons, and the earliest weāve planted out is the first of May. The last two years that was delayed until late May, mostly because of the soil being too wet.
You might be OK, youāre definitely in a warmer zone than us.
1 Like
I have too many other irons in the fire, but Iād start planting tomorrow here in Kentucky if I were ready to do soā¦
before the New Moon for root crops or trees and shrubs would be ideal.
Instead I am working for others all week except grafting today.
1 Like
To plant what? Iām planning for Wednesday, but thatās late for cold-weather crops
I might put some lettuce/cauliflower in the ground here as soon as i can.
Weekend looks very mildā¦
3 Likes
I try to plant my seeds by the moon and signs, so next week will be a good time for me to start my leafy greens, tomatoes, some peppers, brassicas, herbs, etc. New moon is Thursday.
I started onion seeds last month (after full moon) indoors, and theyāre under lights now. Theyāll get transplanted into the ground when I get it plowed and tilled, which will prob be within a couple weeks.
Corn and cukes will be direct sow in the ground, but the soilās still too cool for those.
I have been hit with multiple crises lately, water heater last week, more vehicle problems this week, I feel like a fireman putting out conflagrationsā¦
2 Likes
Of course, you do, and then you run it through the pump and the spray nozzle. After that, itās time for hot chocolate because youāve frittered away yet another autumn day.
2 Likes
SAT set a record low - 37. I touched the grass before leaving for work this morning - Liquid. Thank you Heat island effect!!! It was a good 10 degrees cooler away from downtown;
Friends outside of town were not as lucky. Hard frost just 20 minutes east of us, ā¦
Iād worry about animals licking it up where itās sprayed, unless theyāre squirrels, in which case good idea
1 Like
Most new anti-freezes are non-toxic to animals
1 Like
Still might get into the 70Fs on satā¦ too bad it looks short lived and back to cooler temps the following week. Probably a night of 20Fs ā¦
my sweet cherry might be alive. The buds are looking sort of green.
2 Likes
My fruit trees just arrived from other states this week, so they canāt help this convoā¦ but my haskaps that I brought from Michigan 3 weeks ago are leafing out (they were completely frozen/dormant when I got here), and the maples here are trying to put out leaves. The brambles are starting to leaf out in the woods, and I see that noxious poison hemlock starting to come up. I bet this week with the warm spell the trees kick into high gear in our areaā¦
1 Like
Looks like the Mississippi River crests today in La Crosseā¦ May no look that impressive by this chart, but this is the highest water level since 2001 and will fall in the top 10 of water levels here since they kept records.
3 Likes
I do rinse out the sprayer before use the next spring, but I drain it where I always drain it come what may. It soaks in.
RV antifreeze is non-toxic. As is the antifreeze used in heating systems. Many (most) automotive antifreezes are still toxic, including the green and orange colored ones. Although as I recall RV antifreeze is cheaper than the auto stuff.
Whether it is bad to use automotive antifreeze in your sprayer, really just depends on how you clean it out in the spring. If it goes somewhere that dogs or other critters can get to it, they may get poisoned. If it goes down a drain or is collected and recycled no problem. I have never heard of any type of antifreeze reacting with ag sprays, certainly not in the small amounts left after the sprayer is washed out.
1 Like
Well, my Niedzwetzkyana apple is in full bloomā¦and first king bloom started opening on Granny Smithās. Guess spring has arrived.