Its April 7th and the thermometer read close to 90 degrees in New York

Elliot · April 8, 2010

Should I or should I not take a chance on putting out tomato plants in my area. Normally we can't put stuff out until Mothers day.

sprtsguy76 · April 8, 2010

I would not take that chance.

geeboss · April 8, 2010

-I'd wait for end of April in your area unless an early spring continues. Down here in No. Va I've planted in SWC and I'm prepared to cover if a Freeze should occur.

George

danwigz · April 8, 2010

I don't live in New York, but a day or two ago it was probably around 60 degrees where I am in Wisconsin at about 11pm, today its 36 at midnight. April sleet does not bring a tomato treat!

Don't risk it!

Dan

b54red · April 8, 2010

Last year I had to wait until April 18 because of late cold snaps and ended up losing most to early blight and ended up planting the bulk of my tomatoes in June and I live on the Gulf Coast. This year I have already planted the bulk of my tomatoes and will be transplanting my squash, cucs, peppers and more tomatoes over the next week. This has just been a freaky weather year; our winter was colder and longer than usual and our spring seems to be coming about a month early this year. If I lived where you are I think I would wait a little bit longer. It won't hurt and those late cold snaps, especially when accompanied by rain can be a disaster.

Wi-sunflower · April 8, 2010

I'll add to what Dan said. I'm a bit inland from Dan and we've had about 2 weeks of great above normal temps -- 60s and 70s and a couple of record high 80s.

The last 2 days tho we've had cold rain and I woke up to SNOW on the ground this morning with a temp of only 32*. And windy !! NW wind at 10+ for a wind chill of 23*. The original forecast was for rain mixed with snow flurries but it's bad enough that about an inch or so stuck. It's even supposed to be colder tonite - around 30* after a high of only 40* if we're lucky.

Our weather will be in your area in a day or 2 so watch out. It's ugly today.

Carol

**carolyn137** · April 8, 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elliot

Should I or should I not take a chance on putting out tomato plants in my area. Normally we can't put stuff out until Mothers day.

I didn't check it out but I'm preetty sure Hicksville is on Long Island in which case you're a zone 6/7 in which case no way should you put out tomatoes now.

Depending on if you're either a 6 or a 7 your last average killing frost date would be about May 1 and April 15th respectively and you don't want to plant out until at least a couple of weeks AFTER those dates.

Here where I live in NY on the VT border the recent temps have reached the mid-80's and it's been temperate this week so far but temps are to plunge starting on Friday and snow showers are in the forecast.

I'm in about zone 5 here and won't be putting out plants until around June 1.

To be older and have seen killing frosts up to late May, not just here but downstate as well from friends, only confirms in my mind that temporary blips in normal temps, which is what we've been seeing, happen all the time and I think should be ignored in terms of setting out warm weather crops.

korney19 · April 8, 2010

It was 84 in Buffalo last Saturday. Tomorrow is calling for rain & snow, 33/44.

Go to this URL & change the 14206 zipcode to yours to see the whole month including average hi's & lo's each day.

http://www.accuweather.com/us/ny/buf...mnyr=4-01-2010

(Just put your zipcode in the box, then after the forecast loads, click on the MONTH link.)

pdxwindjammer · April 8, 2010

Yes, a strange weather year! Here in the PNW a couple of weeks ago, it was 70 one day and the next day it didn't get over 50! My little babies will continue to grow in their 4 inch pots and possibly be planted up again before I can put them in the ground.

I am itching for some warm, dry weather after almost a week of nothing but rain!

rsg2001 · April 8, 2010

As a fellow New Yorker just a stone's throw from Long Island, I agree with everyone who says 'don't plant yet'. I used to try to plant here as early as I could, which usualy meant last week of April - but I found out first hand that was folly. I go later, usually third or fourth week in May. Last year I was really really busy and didn't get around to doing it till the first week of June. I found planting later actually didn't make a differece and had good outcomes.

Wi-sunflower · April 9, 2010

Just to let you know what may be heading your way, it was 28* when I got up this morning.

We had had the heater in the greenhouse turned off for about 10 days as the nite temps outside had been in the 40s and even 50s with the unusual warm weather we had had. But then we got the cold rain and then snow. Now it's clear and sunny but cold with a NW wind to make it feel even colder.

We would often try to plant as early as possible too. Usually not the tender stuff, but things like beets, lettuce, radishes and cole crops. One year we had some dry sandy soil and were able to direct seed on March 3.

But even when we seeded the end of March or early April, often the germination rate was so bad and the weeds so good that it was just a waste of good seed or a whole lot of weeding for too little crop to be worth the frustration.

Hubby wanted to seed some stuff about 2 weeks ago when we had our warm spell. I told him NO. We had too much other stuff to work on and I'm short of seed of that stuff anyway. The transplants I have going in the greenhouse will be just good enough when they are big enough to plant out.

There's a reason we use a calendar for things like planting. Otherwise we would have starved to extinction centuries ago from planting whenever we got an unusual early warm spell and then loosing the crop/seeds from the next change in the weather that killed the crop.

Carol

barefootgardener · April 9, 2010

After having temps in the 70's and 80's the last few weeks, and lots of sunshine, yesterday was low 30's and lots of wet snow, it did not stick, but this morning it was 28 degrees and we have continuing snow which is now sticking to the ground.
Last week I went ahead and planted some spinach and lettuce and a few peas..After the much needed rain we had, the peas started to germinate. I am not worried about the cold snap for them , whatever happens happens, I only planted a little bit and have enough seed to replant if I have to..
But I will not plant my warm weather crops before June 1st no matter how nice the weather...I have planted tomatoes early before when the weather was nice in mid May, only to get frost/freeze warnings later, and it gets tedious running around trying to cover over 100 plus tomato plants....

April 8, 2010	#1
Elliot Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Hicksville, New York Posts: 503	Its April 7th and the thermometer read close to 90 degrees in New York Should I or should I not take a chance on putting out tomato plants in my area. Normally we can't put stuff out until Mothers day.

April 8, 2010	#2
sprtsguy76 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Santa Clara CA Posts: 1,125	I would not take that chance.

April 8, 2010	#3
geeboss Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Fairfax, VA Z7 Posts: 524	-I'd wait for end of April in your area unless an early spring continues. Down here in No. Va I've planted in SWC and I'm prepared to cover if a Freeze should occur. George

April 8, 2010	#4
danwigz Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 150	I don't live in New York, but a day or two ago it was probably around 60 degrees where I am in Wisconsin at about 11pm, today its 36 at midnight. April sleet does not bring a tomato treat! Don't risk it! Dan

April 8, 2010	#5
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	Last year I had to wait until April 18 because of late cold snaps and ended up losing most to early blight and ended up planting the bulk of my tomatoes in June and I live on the Gulf Coast. This year I have already planted the bulk of my tomatoes and will be transplanting my squash, cucs, peppers and more tomatoes over the next week. This has just been a freaky weather year; our winter was colder and longer than usual and our spring seems to be coming about a month early this year. If I lived where you are I think I would wait a little bit longer. It won't hurt and those late cold snaps, especially when accompanied by rain can be a disaster.

April 8, 2010	#6
Wi-sunflower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,591	I'll add to what Dan said. I'm a bit inland from Dan and we've had about 2 weeks of great above normal temps -- 60s and 70s and a couple of record high 80s. The last 2 days tho we've had cold rain and I woke up to SNOW on the ground this morning with a temp of only 32. And windy !! NW wind at 10+ for a wind chill of 23. The original forecast was for rain mixed with snow flurries but it's bad enough that about an inch or so stuck. It's even supposed to be colder tonite - around 30* after a high of only 40* if we're lucky. Our weather will be in your area in a day or 2 so watch out. It's ugly today. Carol

April 8, 2010	#8
korney19 Buffalo-Niagara Tomato TasteFest™ Co-Founder Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: The Niagara Frontier Posts: 942	It was 84 in Buffalo last Saturday. Tomorrow is calling for rain & snow, 33/44. Go to this URL & change the 14206 zipcode to yours to see the whole month including average hi's & lo's each day. http://www.accuweather.com/us/ny/buf...mnyr=4-01-2010 (Just put your zipcode in the box, then after the forecast loads, click on the MONTH link.)

April 8, 2010	#9
pdxwindjammer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 625	Yes, a strange weather year! Here in the PNW a couple of weeks ago, it was 70 one day and the next day it didn't get over 50! My little babies will continue to grow in their 4 inch pots and possibly be planted up again before I can put them in the ground. I am itching for some warm, dry weather after almost a week of nothing but rain!

April 8, 2010	#10
rsg2001 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New York Zone 6 Posts: 479	As a fellow New Yorker just a stone's throw from Long Island, I agree with everyone who says 'don't plant yet'. I used to try to plant here as early as I could, which usualy meant last week of April - but I found out first hand that was folly. I go later, usually third or fourth week in May. Last year I was really really busy and didn't get around to doing it till the first week of June. I found planting later actually didn't make a differece and had good outcomes.

April 9, 2010	#11
Wi-sunflower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,591	Just to let you know what may be heading your way, it was 28* when I got up this morning. We had had the heater in the greenhouse turned off for about 10 days as the nite temps outside had been in the 40s and even 50s with the unusual warm weather we had had. But then we got the cold rain and then snow. Now it's clear and sunny but cold with a NW wind to make it feel even colder. We would often try to plant as early as possible too. Usually not the tender stuff, but things like beets, lettuce, radishes and cole crops. One year we had some dry sandy soil and were able to direct seed on March 3. But even when we seeded the end of March or early April, often the germination rate was so bad and the weeds so good that it was just a waste of good seed or a whole lot of weeding for too little crop to be worth the frustration. Hubby wanted to seed some stuff about 2 weeks ago when we had our warm spell. I told him NO. We had too much other stuff to work on and I'm short of seed of that stuff anyway. The transplants I have going in the greenhouse will be just good enough when they are big enough to plant out. There's a reason we use a calendar for things like planting. Otherwise we would have starved to extinction centuries ago from planting whenever we got an unusual early warm spell and then loosing the crop/seeds from the next change in the weather that killed the crop. Carol

April 9, 2010	#12
barefootgardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Michigan Zone 4b Posts: 1,291	After having temps in the 70's and 80's the last few weeks, and lots of sunshine, yesterday was low 30's and lots of wet snow, it did not stick, but this morning it was 28 degrees and we have continuing snow which is now sticking to the ground. Last week I went ahead and planted some spinach and lettuce and a few peas..After the much needed rain we had, the peas started to germinate. I am not worried about the cold snap for them , whatever happens happens, I only planted a little bit and have enough seed to replant if I have to.. But I will not plant my warm weather crops before June 1st no matter how nice the weather...I have planted tomatoes early before when the weather was nice in mid May, only to get frost/freeze warnings later, and it gets tedious running around trying to cover over 100 plus tomato plants....