Mild weather, plant out date change?

[Dewayne mater]

Following a scorching summer, Texas' winter has been ultra mild. The 10 day forecast has one temperature as low as 43 for an overnight low, all the rest are warmer. Day time highs are ALL predicted to be in the 60-70s. These are well above normal temps for this time of year.

I've been contemplating moving up the plant out date by a couple of weeks in North Dallas suburbia to perhaps this weekend. Normally, I've been planing out in mid March and still have a risk of a freeze beyond then. Of course forecasts change as does the weather and I could be forced to cover plants if the weather does get cold. Anyone else thinking of moving up your plant out dates in response to all this mild weather?

Dewayne Mater

[rnewste]

Dewayne,

We are having the same weather pattern here in N. California starting on Friday. My seedlings are 15 inches tall right now so this weekend I will be sticking 18 of them in their EarthTainer homes for 2012.

I do the "Noah's Ark" thing - and have a duplicate set of all so if we do get hit with an unexpected freeze, I will have replacements at the ready.

Something you might also want to consider. Leave the cages off (assuming you converted to the EarthTainer III Convertible design) and get some new RuggedTotes to flip over and use as temporary Cold Frames to cover your planted 'Tainers, if your temps dip down into the 30s at night. I've got 10 spare RuggedTotes standing by for just such an event.

Raybo

[Tracydr]

Just like last year, we've had a late frost warning, first of march.

[dipchip2000]

Dewayne

I planted out 10 plants last Saturday. I have never planted out in February but the forecast here is similar to yours. I am about 5hours north of you in zone 7a. I will plantout the remainder in mid March. My advice is to plant out a few now and be prepared to cover if necessary. Plant the rest as normal for you. Take a chance with some of them but dont put all of them at risk unless you can easily cover them all.

JMHO

ron

lol, half the US seems to be having a warm winter. I'm glad I'm not have a cold winter. We did plant most of the maters by mid-Feb, when normally I would have waited until this weekend. I will probably pick up a couple more heirlooms this weekend at the local plant sales in Austin, and get them in and see how they all grow this year. Our lowest forecast temp over the next couple weeks is 43, so we should be okay here. Good luck on your planting, and just remember, don't risk any plants you can't replace.

[flyingbrass]

I planted Feb. 24. Same weather here as Tracydr. It doesn't help that I live in a cold spot. Last night the temp measured 6' above ground dropped to 35. Ground level at my plants was a couple degrees colder. I put small cardboard boxes over my plants around dusk and later set up a heat lamp pointed at the ones that get morning sun the latest.

All my plants are doing fine. They have about doubled in size since I planted. I plan to cover again tonight.

[Tracydr]

We have 38 degrees predicted again this Friday. I have about 100 seedlings, which are now really too difficult to move in and out. Too big to put under my light stand so they're just going to have to be content with the window light for a few days.
Oh well.

[b54red]

I am also diving in with early planting. I'll only put out about a dozen tomatoes and a dozen peppers. I have plenty of replacements so if it does turn really cold I guess I won't have quite as many to give away this year.

[Dewayne mater]

Good luck everyone! I'm gonna try the partial early plant method myself. I've got lots of back ups, so, if the weather tricks us all I should be ok. I've seen weather guys say that the El Nino pattern we have (I believe it is that one we are in now) causes the jet stream to stay north. That means lot of the cold fronts that would drop down with a more typical down swooping jet stream stay up north keeping frigid. We could potentially not see another freeze and that would be unusual for sure. The down side for us that typically causes us to miss winter rain patterns, not something we can afford in Texas after last summer.

Dewayne Mater

[b54red]

Oh man! The weather is not cooperating with my plans to set out early. Tornadoes and heavy thunderstorms have made it impossible to get anything done. Oh well if they don't blow away my plants I'll get them out as soon as weather permits.

[mysidx]

I just finished two new beds, and will plant out next week. Warm winters are also followed by active Hurricane seasons.

[sfmathews]

I planted out 7 maters the last weekend of Feburary and planted the remainder this past weekend. I am prepared to cover if needed. I planted early last year (based on the recommendation of other T'vers) and it worked out well, so I went for it again.

[Dewayne mater]

Susan you beat me to it again! When do you germinate your seeds? Mine are about read now at between 8"-10" tall and I started on January 2. This surely looks to be a year that your super early plant out will be rewarded with lots of warm weather for a fast start. Good luck.

Dewayne mater.

[sfmathews]

Dewayne, I start the same time as you. I figure I have to get them started while I'm off for the holiday break. Cause it gets crazy when I go back to work! Mine were pushing 12" tall in their red solo cups. I've had them on the back porch in full sun for quite some time, the weather has been so beautiful!
Good luck to you as well! Hoping for a not so hot, not so dry summer in DFW!

[PaulF]

Even if it is 73 degrees today in southern Nebraska, I WILL NOT change my planting schedule. The last time ..... no the last several times it was like this I thought I would get a head start. BAM! Frost in early May. I will stick to my timetable, I WILL stick to my timetable, I WILL STICK TO MY TIMETABLE.