I've already sown radishes, bok choy and garden cress (the cress as early as March 11th in a sheltered raised bed covered by plastic). The radishes and bok choy germinated in about a week and are doing well so far. I would be more reluctant with frost-sensitive plants like marigolds. Plastic covers protect to about -2 or -3 C and then they get below freezing inside. You can get further frost protection by covering the plastic with burlap (if you have a rigid structure). Since you are willing to put on and take off the covers every evening/morning, I'd say go for it! You have nothing to lose but a packet of seeds. Last spring, I was able to get tomatoes through temperatures of -8 C with a plastic-burlap-plastic combo, but of course they were not happy.

I also started peas, bok choy, spinach, carrots and bunching onions indoors under lights. I planted them outside in late March under covers. Some were killed off by the repeated freezes and I had to replace them. The onions are doing the best so far.

I just wanted to add that a very simple option for you would be to cover them with a thick-walled Rubbermaid tub every night. It's easy to add additional coverings onto the tub without having to bother with stakes or hoops. The tub alone provides 3-4 degrees C of frost protection. Of course, you might run into problems if we get an extended stretch of cold, cloudy weather.

Make yourself a hoop house over your raised bed and then you can start things a month ahead of your last freeze date. What you need is some PVC water pipe and plastic--relatively inexpensive to build. There is lots of info on doing that on forums here.

Before I got my greenhouse I grew everything in the ground with makeshift cold frames consisting of wire hoops and plastic coverings. 2 things you have to know if you are going this route is. Even if it's mainly cloudy it has to be opened a little, so almost every day you will have to open it either a little or a lot, and then close it up at night. You'd be surprised at the heat that builds up in there. 2--When you transplant make sure you give them enough water and then cover them with an upside down pot for a couple of days. Covering does 2 things--it keeps the water around the plants roots and allows the plant to recover from being transplanted--and no the lack of sunshine for 2 days will have no effect on the plant

WooHoo !!

I have plastic covers, I have burlap, I have rubbermaid bins galore, I have thick plastic, and I might even have some PVC or something relatively close. =:)

I think I'll plant a ton of stuff this weekend and see what happens.

Thanks !!

Oh, and I just saw the forecast. =:)

My marigolds used to self-sow in my beds every year. I never covered them with anything. I also didn't try to force them to sprout early, mind you. I wouldn't know what strain I had but I wish I had brought some along from the old house.

I put in potatoes, and a bed of peas and today I'm thinking of spinach and beets. C

I'm trying to convince my husband to get the garden tilled again so that i can plant. I told him that i'd do lettuce, onions and radishes, but i think i could get away with beets, carrots and swiss chard.... :>