Has anyone put out any pepper or tomato plants yet?

I am seeing pepper, tomato, eggplant, zuchini and all sorts of other plants in the stores but the weather is still so darned cold. Has anyone in the S.E. MI area dared put out any of these warm loving plants yet?
I have just finished creating a new veg garden....lots of digging and hard work and many interesting finds in the way of glacially deposited rocks. Because of rabbits, raccoons and deer, I have fenced it all in and have planted cabbages, brussels, broccoli, snow pea seeds and lettuce seeds. It is only 18' x 20' but big enough for us. Just waiting for the weather to sew beans and squash and get the tomatos and peppers in.
Good to see the rain though.

All of my plants are still in the garage. The garden spot is tilled and ready to plant but it is still too cold I think. Tomatoes need a lot of heat and if you plant now they will just sit there till the temps warm up and there is always the chance of a frost which would take them a while to recover from. I'll probably plant everything out on Memorial weekend.

We had a lot of rain last night. The wind is really bad and would have ripped up little new plants so I'm glad mine are safely tucked in the garage. I keep the door open so they can get light and air. We lost our power last night and it didn't come back on till some time this morning.

We had a 50 x 30 spot fenced off and this will be my first big vegetable garden.

i planted of my tomatoes plants out yesterday next to the GH on a south facing wall before the rans came! man we got the rain!

The temps are suppose to be low 40s but i posted in the tomato forum and they said as long as we dont hit 32 they should be ok- they look ok so far!!!

i will be planting a ton more as soon as i can get in the garden withoug sinking to my ankles!

I haven't gotten to my tomatoes yet but I would if I could. I also started a new vegetable bed. I'm starting an aspargus bed and wouldn't you know it, as soon as I get my 50 crowns in the mail...it rains like heck. AARRGGGHH! Poor things are in the vege crisper for now, I hope to plant them tommorow. Say a little prayer to the garden gods.

So, what does everyone do with there tomatoes? My favorite is to can them whole with garlic, basil and V-8 juice. On a cold winter day (actually, all year round) I cook up some egg noodles and poor the tomatoes over them (heated) with some mozzerella cheese.

I have this grand idea of growing green, wax and kidney beans and canning 3 bean salad. I love 3 bean salad.

Mine are sitting in my greenhouse waiting to be planted....I did transfere them all to bigger pots and some good potting soil, as sitting in those cell packs does nothing for them.....I will probably put mine out the last week in may.

Deann

here is the roots on one of my mators i planted

I don't put tender plants out until Memorial Day weekend.
Every year I think I'm going to get some of those tomato protectors so you can put them out eariler but I don't. :(

Today I put out my early cabbage, late cabbage, broccoli and a ton of onions. I think these plants can take the cold weather. The other plants are still tucked in the garage waiting for warmer weather. It was a good planting day today. The soil was moist but not soggy so I didn't have to water the plants. This is my first really big veggie garden and I'm so excited. If it warms up some this week I plan to plant up my planters and pots.

Spinich, lettuces and peas can be planted now too.

my first row of peas is about to bloom and the second row is about 3in high! we planted our peas april fools day-they taste better the earlier they can be picked also!

my tomatoes are still doing good outside even as cold as we have gotten!! but the ones in the GH look warmer ;)

I have not planted any of my maters yet, they are all still in the greenhouse with everything else, LOL But I do have some heirloom rose of sharon seedlings that I winter sowed :) JUST HAD TO GET THAT OUT, LOLOL OHHHHHHHHHHH, and have some french cantalope seedlings too :)

OH PLEASE DON'T RAIN TODAY! Sorry, I had to get that out of my system. I'm already a little behind on my planting, this was the year I was going to have everything planted on time and then it started to rain and rain and rain. My garden is under water, I'm sure the potatoes I planted are gone. I can't imagine what farmers go through when your very livelyhood depends on the weather.
I wish we could save some of this rain for August when I will be begging for rain.

We are soaked here too!!!!! I cant belive we got more rain last night, the puddles were just soaking in and now they are back even bigger!! It really came down fast-but its not as bad as what the east coast is getting-15in and standing water in basements up to 4ft.

Yesterday i weeded all the thistles out of the garden-very easily!
i hope the scattered showers miss me here! I want to work in the gardens!
I have a trade to dig if i can get into the beds!

hope all is good where you are
dori

Hi Suzanny, funny you asked about when I planted my tomatos. Well, one tomato plant that is. It went in the ground on the 8th. I checked the 5 day forcast, saw the rain and NO frost and began to plant almost all my flowers and that one lonely tomato plant. Held my breath and covered it one day, but once all that rain started, I was so happy I had planted lots out.
But I would not have planted out till the 15th if I had tons of tomato or other veggies. It is alot easier for me to replace one plant than a bunch. Supposedly the 15th is our new last frost date. (Don't know how 'new' that date is, but Dad always went by Memorial Day).
Oh, I forgot, I do have a few carrots planted. Love the look of the leaves around some flowers. :o)

Yes! looks like sun for the first part of the day ... you will find me doing whatever I can outside.
But the Mosquitos will be buzzing .. and I will be smelling like OFF.

I think I'm going to like Daves Garden.


This message was edited May 17, 2006 9:39 AM

Hey Cottage Rose, I just read that you can use plastic milk jugs to protect your tomatoes...just like a little greenhouse. That is of course if the plant is small. Just cut off the bottom of the jug and leave the cap off for ventilation and dig the jug into the ground around the tomato plant and leave it there until chance of frost has passed. I assume you build up some dirt around the jug so it doesn't blow off. I plan to try this this year as I put in my tomatoes way too late last year and had to wait till middle of August to have any ripe ones.

Welcome Toofewanimals, you certainly will like Dave's Garden. Great people and tons of information.

Cindy

Looks like the forcast is going to cheer up a little. Not much warmer but close to the 70's and sun so the plants should be happy. I think I will put out the tomatoes this weekend but hold off on the peppers , eggplant and bean sowing until after memorial day. We did need the rain, we really did!!
I planted a few small trees from Arborday while we were getting plenty of rain. They should be off to a good start.
Looking forward to getting some annual color in to the pots and beds.
Welcome toofewanimals, I just found this site too and I really like it.
Suzanne.