![]() “You can plant late and still get a great yield from your garden,” Garland said. “You can have it in a beautiful garden journal.”Įven though there are lots of options for planting before the last frost-free date, Garland said not to feel pressured to start too early. “I recommend folks rotate their crops so they can have a plot plan,” Wilber said. Keeping track of where you grow which crops also helps you prevent growing the same things in the same spots season after season, which can cause fungal pathogens and insects to build up. If you are looking to maximize your yield, Wilber said it is best to have a plan. To ensure proper timing, you can use a handy planting calculator like this one from Johnny’s Selected Seeds, or contact your local cooperative extension for more resources. For example, broccoli can usually be planted two weeks before the last frost date, while cabbage and collards can go out about four weeks before. When exactly you will plant or transplant your crops before the last frost will depend on where and what you plant. Planning your planting before the frost-free date “Have your season extenders in place whatever your favorite one is.” Wilber said her personal favorite is a frost cloth to cover plants in case of a cold weather emergency. Be ready, because mother nature is mean and she likes to laugh at us,” Wilber said. Ready for harvest in 70 to 80 days from planting, these cold-weather vegetables can be stored in the ground until needed. There are season extenders that can help protect your crops in case of any unexpected cold snaps. Carrots This brightly-colored root crop is not only a rich source of vitamin A, but carrots also become sweeter as the temperature drops. “We’ve had a couple springs where the climate has been very warm up until that last frost date, and then we still get a surprise freeze. “We plant quite a lot in January and February, but we don’t plant our spring crops much before ,” Wilber said. The growing season starts earlier and the risk of a surprise frost late in the season is lower in warmer states, but it is still important to be vigilant. “It’s really important to look at that ten day forecast before you plant.” ![]() You can use these later for baking, stews & crock pot recipes. If you have an overrun of carrots just blanch and freeze. “Curveballs late in the season are common,” Garland said. Tip: Plant carrots in successive plantings every 2 weeks so you have a continual fresh crop. Garland said to look at the current weather patterns and projected forecast about a week before you plant as well. ![]() “I usually set the threshold of 10 percent of having less than 32 degrees,” Garland said. Precision can be important when avoiding frost, especially for cold, northern climates. Dave’s Garden’s search tool does the same with data from the National Climatic Data Center. The National Gardening Association provides a range of dates and the probability of freezing or below freezing temperatures for each based on data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. ![]()
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