[where_with_all]

elliot

I live in long island too. I have tried to get plants out early- like end of april in the past. it is a lot of work.


First-
Obviously you don't want to have the plants out when there is still a chance of frost. below 40 will ususally set the plants back unless you have hardened them off to be resilient. This is a lot of work and requires moving the plants inside and outside so that you build tolerance.

Second
The most important thing is the soil temperature. I found that plants do better when the soil temperature does not go below 50 F. 55 F is preferable. To get the soil temp that high with out dipping below you usually have to wait until mid may. Soil has a high thermal mass ( low thermal conductivity) and therfore temperature changes are very slow. It could be 80 outside but the soil could still be 45.

If you want to get the plants out earlier you can do soil warming tricks like using a greenhouse, cold frame, or even putting a clear tarp on the ground for a few weeks prior to plant out. All of these devices trap heat during the day and keep the soil warm at night.

I keep a thermometer in my garden. I live in huntington. The temperature has only this week stayed above 50- even though it has been great the past few weeks. SO I would wait til this weekend.

Last year I put a tarp over the garden and was able to get the plants out the last week of april- first week of may. Too much work for me- not worth fighting nature.

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