zone5 ==> when to plant out?

I know it also depends on the plant, but when can i start planting?

I've got a bird and butterfly mix (wildflowers) ready to go, a bunch of sunflower, morning glories getting twisted in everything in it's path and tomatoes.

I know if i do the tomatoes, I will really have to watch for a cold snap/frost -- but i can just cover them, right? (tops of the milk jugs) They (tomatoes) are just starting to fall over.

TIA,

Terese

Put them out now and worry about a frost when it is imminent. (Like next October)

We have some nights in the high 40s forecasted, but they fall on nights when the day will have been very sunny, so the radiant heat will help enormously.

Suzy

thanks suzy -- looks like i'll be busy tomorrow.
.. just checked our 10 day forecast (even though it's educated guesses)
the lowest is 44 and highest was 58 for nights, with the days in the 60's&70's

Hmm, well I was imagining you directly west of me with similar weather -- ours is high 70s days for the next 10 days and lows (nighttime) in the 50s with some 60's maybe a couple of high 40s. I'm planting dahlias which I believe is similar to peppers and tomatoes on the scale of warmth.

I htink you run the risk of having things so unhappy and big in their pots that early planting out is the better option.

Suzy

Tia, I was talking to my cousin yesterday and she told me we may be getting some frost Wednesday & Thursday night here in Michigan. I wouldn't be planting any thing out here until the end of May. Probably the first week in June. Just to be safe. I do have some daylilies that can go out now, but the bed isn't ready yet. dh is working on it in between the rains we're getting. I am transplanting most of the seedlings into bigger pots and thinning them out.
Most all the plants I planted last year are coming in and blooming, I plan to cover them up tomorrow night and Thursday night. don't want to loose any of them. I know our last frost date is suppose to be around May 14th. thats only 2 weeks away. It's hard to believe that it is May already.

Connie

Connie, You can check weather.com to see how likely it is for frost.

Suzy.

Suzy --
>>I was imagining you directly west of me

nope -- i'm up near O'Hare.

I did put my morning glories on the back patio last night (they have been babied inside since the cold snap)
and i think when i got up this morning it was low 50's -- though i thought it was supposed to be 44°.... and they seemed fine this morning... not wilty at all.

Terese

I've been putting mine in the ground. I know it's still a gamble for us in zone 5, but I've got to get these containers off my porch! I didn't WS any heat-loving veggies...they are all still inside under lights, pluggin' along. I have a few plants that one 1 seed germinated. I guess I'll just stick those in my nursery bed, and try to collect more seeds at the end of the summer for next year. Tamara

Tamara,

i too am going to get my seedlings in the ground.

I planted a few last week.... then was gone for 4 days to come home to totally dried out containers, and some very wilted plants.

so -- i'm gonna get busy this week. lately i've been gone more than home - and i can't trust my kids to water.

Terese

is anyone else planting out yet?

It has been quite warm here (80's the past 2 days) and no real cool off in sight, with evenings in the 50's

I have begun planting some of my seedlings --

Just a few california poppies and a few persian jewels - everything is still too small.

Big difference between zone 5 in the midwest (Illinois &Indiana) and the zone 5 in Masaachusetts! Terese, I am almost finished planting out all annuals and now am taking a gander at the size of my perenials. For the most part thay are too small, but I just planted some Columbine and Helenium.

Suzy

P.S. The reason all my annuals aren't planted out is because the daffodil foliage is still in the way and I have other things I need to do around the place.

Suzy,

many of mine are small, but they also don't seem to be growing.
Many have been the same size for over a month or so.

I do have a feeling that many of mine will eat up as a big'ole bunny buffet.
I noticed one of my large sunflowers are gone as is 1 morning glory.

but considering how many bunnies there are, and how many seedlings.. 2 lost isn't bad.

Terese