When is best time to plant? Zone 9- Any Louisiana residence

I would like to know when it's best time to plant the pumpkin seeds also sunflower seeds?? I want to grow pumpkin this year and would like to know when it's best time to plant them??? I usually start my veg planting in late March after frost pass. Sometimes I wouldput milk gallon plastic cover it to keep from frost. any feedback will be appreciate. It'll be fun for my kids and me,too! :o)

This message was edited Jan 30, 2006 11:27 AM

I would think late March would be fine. Sunflowers will germinate in cool soil and stand light frost. Pumpkins you can direct seed on your avarege frost date, so they will usually past your last frost date before they emerge. They can't take frost. If you start plants inside, then plan on setting out (after hardening off) on or after your last frost date. I am quite a bit cooler and direct seed on or after April 15.

I'm in 8b and our last avg freeze date is Feb 28.....now I have had no freeze this year so its all up in the air at this point. But I would think March1-15 is good. I always do bush beans then.

.. MiniSchnuz ..

Not sure if you guys have ever tried to implement the use of gardening by the moon 'signs' ...

But, if so ..
Here are a couple of websites to get you 'kick started' for the relevant planting dates. In particular, when the moon is 'most favorable' for planting ..

The Old Farmers Almanac
Home Gardening Charts/Tables .. for the 2006 Outdoor planting ...
> http://www.almanac.com/garden/plantingtable.php

And, Gardening by the Moon
> http://www.gardeningbythemoon.com/features.html

'Happi gardenin' .. to ya, Mini ..

- Magpye

Thank you!!! Thank for the links. Gonna to check it out.. The weather here have been weird lately.. no hard freeze yet...mostly warm and cool around 30's upper.

i'm right outside of new orleans and have started my seeds inside last week. last year i started the end of feb, but i have a small garden and i can cover it if need be.

I tend to plant most of my seeds Spring Break Week - I am North of you so I would think it would be more then ok for you the same week?

I think so.. I am going to start plant in middle of March as follow gardening by the Moon. I haven't started tiller yet. The ground's too wet from raining other days ago. Now I need to dig and remove the fell baby pine tree so I can have garden there. Gotta to have lots work to do.

mini,
here is an excellent publication from the lsu ag center. I use it as a guide as to when to plant.

http://www.lsuagcenter.com/NR/rdonlyres/BA17B15B-099A-41BE-AB42-0D8861446228/2815/pub1980vegplantguide3.pdf

opps, try this http://www.lsuagcenter.com/en/lawn_garden/home_gardening/vegetables/soil_fertility/Louisiana+Vegetable+Planting+Guide.htm

well, it still takes you to the same page. When you get to the link above, click on the lawn & garden tab. Then scroll down the page a bit, you will see the "Louisiana Vegetable Planting Guide" Click on that and it'll download for you. Hope this helps!

Thank you Lisa! I am going to check it out. Yesterday and today, we got hard frost for first time! It's very cold! Glad sunny is coming up!

me too! lots of frost and ice..brrr.

Yeah same as here BBBRrr in the morning worse .