Okay to plant tomatoes this weekend?

[Anonymous]

It looks like the night time temperature might be as low as 55 degrees Mothers Day Sunday. Is that okay for newly planted tomato and cucumber seedlings?

[Anonymous]

I planted mine 2 weeks ago, you are in the clear, go ahead.

[Anonymous]

It's now or never. Your tomatoes need to get well and truly established before we hit the 90s again.

[Anonymous]

I am planning to plant this weekend. I feel behind schedule!

[Anonymous]

Never plant before Mother’s Day. You’re rolling the dice if you do.

[Anonymous]

I think the "never plant before Mother's Day" advice has been overtaken by recent weather trends; I'd be shocked if it gets too cold for tomatoes this week. I planted a bunch this past weekend, because if I didn't do it now, it'd have been into early June before I was able. Not at all worried about it not being warm enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the "never plant before Mother's Day" advice has been overtaken by recent weather trends; I'd be shocked if it gets too cold for tomatoes this week. I planted a bunch this past weekend, because if I didn't do it now, it'd have been into early June before I was able. Not at all worried about it not being warm enough.

+1 Even 10 years ago I agreed with not planting before Mother's Day. But you can only have so many "hottest year on record"s in a row before you realize that the rules were made for a world before climate change.

[Anonymous]

51 is a the overnight low this weekend. I wouldn’t rush the tomatoes out until Monday (day after Mother’s Day, coincidentally).

Is it going to hurt them at 51? No - but if they’re wrong and it gets to be a few degrees colder where you are it is too cold (won’t kill them). But with overnight lows like that, tomato plants don’t know it’s growing season yet and so you’re not going to get a ton of root growth in cold soil.

I’ve started waiting later on tomatoes even as the years have gotten hotter and had better results.

I like to see the 10 day firmly above 50 before I’ll plant. If it’s going to be really rainy and overcast during the day, I want it above 55-58.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the "never plant before Mother's Day" advice has been overtaken by recent weather trends; I'd be shocked if it gets too cold for tomatoes this week. I planted a bunch this past weekend, because if I didn't do it now, it'd have been into early June before I was able. Not at all worried about it not being warm enough.

+1 Even 10 years ago I agreed with not planting before Mother's Day. But you can only have so many "hottest year on record"s in a row before you realize that the rules were made for a world before climate change.

I distinctly remember a overnight freeze in very late April just within the last decade. I remember it cost me almost $100 in lost plants. Even in “the hottest year on record” around here it is still below freezing at some point each day for a third of the year.

The reality is we *might* move from Zone 7a to 7b because of climate change.

But the way some of you talk you’d think we’re going to Zone 9 or 10.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the "never plant before Mother's Day" advice has been overtaken by recent weather trends; I'd be shocked if it gets too cold for tomatoes this week. I planted a bunch this past weekend, because if I didn't do it now, it'd have been into early June before I was able. Not at all worried about it not being warm enough.

+1 Even 10 years ago I agreed with not planting before Mother's Day. But you can only have so many "hottest year on record"s in a row before you realize that the rules were made for a world before climate change.

I distinctly remember a overnight freeze in very late April just within the last decade. I remember it cost me almost $100 in lost plants. Even in “the hottest year on record” around here it is still below freezing at some point each day for a third of the year.

The reality is we *might* move from Zone 7a to 7b because of climate change.

But the way some of you talk you’d think we’re going to Zone 9 or 10.

Yeah, but late April is still about two weeks earlier than the week before Mother’s Day. My tomato plants all seem to have weathered the weekend fine.