Yesterday, reader Gwen left me this comment:
“My dad (you know, the one you are always supposed to listen to when he gives advice) said I should keep my tomato plants inside until June but I noticed yours are already planted outside. By the looks of your garden I should be following your lead. Do you always put your tomato plants out in May?”
Gwen, your comment made me smile.
Yes, here in Western Washington it is too early to plant to plant tomatoes outside. It is also too early to plant cucumbers and beans as well.
But does that stop me? Nope.
When I first started gardening I would see tomato, squash and other plants for sale at the hardware store and assume it was time to plant them outside. I mean it makes sense right? If tomato plants are sitting outside for sale at the local hardware store in mid April, it must be time to plant them in my garden as well. Right?
Wrong.
Most likely, the plants you see at the hardware store in early spring will sell out in 2-3 days. People will bring them home, plant the tomato plants in their garden, and then they will die a slow, miserable death. At least here in Seattle anyway.
The unknowing newbie gardener will think, “Darn, I can’t do this. I must have black thumb.” and give up.
Unfortunate, the only way the tomato plants have a shot, is if they are coddled indoors in a sunny window ledge or placed in a greenhouse until late May when it is safe to plant them outside.
The bottom line is, the local hardware store knows people are itching to get their garden started. So they sell the desired plants. Even if they are selling them a month earlier than they should be planted in the ground.
So, if it is too early to plant tomatoes outside, why did I go ahead and plant 20 {out of 110} tomato plants outside the other day? For the exact same reason I planted a packet of cucumber seeds in the garden last night.
What if I get lucky. What if this is the year, like in 2009, when we get blessed with a rip-roaring hot summer? What if this is the year {out of every 7?} that I would look back on and say, “Man, I wish I would have set out my plants/started seeds a little earlier?”
So Gwen,
I’m a gambler. And I am taking a {big} risk.
Only time will tell if the odds are in my favor.
Looking for a great gardening book? Amazon currently has Vegetable Gardening: From Planting to Picking–The Complete Guide to Creating a Bountiful Garden By Fern Marshall Bradley on sale for $13.59.
*Amazon prices can change at anytime and are accurate at of time of posting.
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Weedygarden says
We are able to get empty 5 gallon paint buckets from our local paint recycling center. I keep a stack because they have endless possibilities of uses. When I hear we are going to get cold weather in the earlier spring, I turn them upside down over my tender tomato plants and whatever else I might have growing that needs protection.
Cher says
I always heard not to plant them until after Mothers Day (willamette valley area)….and every year, my husband plants them when he sees them in the store….and every year they die and he says “next year we are definately wainting until AFTER Mothers Day.” So the last two nights we covered them, hoping we can keep them from dying from the frost….maybe someday he’ll learn 🙂
Dawn McCloskey says
I like you Mavis always hope. I planted my tomato plants (starts I bought) a month ago. They are flowering finally, just this week. The beans never sprouted, but the snap peas and sweet peas are doing awesome, as is my lettuce. It is loving this weather??? Not so much my spinach or beet plants. As I posted earlier this month, I took my squash out and transplanted my starts (they were getting yellow inside), dead within a week. I have planted new seeds outside… We will see. Even my sunflower plants are having a bit of a time (although they were just seeds I scattered from last years plant, just here and there). I am south of you in the Yamhill County just west of Portland, OR.
Gwen says
Right on!! Thank you so much for the post. I think I will take one of my four plants outside and hope for the best. I too am a gambling woman :). Who knew gardening could be as fun as Vegas!
Julie2 says
Perfect timing on this post for me. I live in Olympia, and for Mother’s day I was gonna hit Farmer’s Market and plant some tomatos. You saved me. I’m such a newbie & very inspired by your garden (and couponing). Thank you.
Kate H. says
Don’t forget Walls of Water. They work really well, too to protect young tomatoes or peppers and they last for several seasons.
Mandy says
Those darn hardware stores got me again. I have twelve dead tomatoes and several peppers to prove it.
Janelle says
A milk jug full of water next to a plant may help save it from a cold night (especially if the water was out in the sun during the day). I need to put a bunch in my greenhouse, as I’ve heard it will help moderate the temperature in there, too. Great blog, just found it! I live in Shoreline, and recently moved up from Portland, so am learning the colder nights gardening techniques.