You might just wack a few more hole in the bottom of the nursery container and dig a hole in your garden and plant pot and all. Well, leave some of the pot sticking out of the ground.

~dianne

Are you 9 or 10? If you're 10 you're way too early and need to start over in 2-4 weeks depending on the rain.

Tom

I don't really know, Tom. I've looked at some maps that have us in 9b and some that have us in 10. I'm south west Fort Myers. I'm thinking I should go with the 10 timings though. And yeah, I figured I was way too early. I got a little over excited to get started I guess, because I had 9/15 marked as my planting date per a post of yours. Could I just give you my cell # and have you text me every time you plant something? ha!

-Becca

How far from the coast are you? Stating you're southwest has me concerned...it makes a significant difference.

Tom

About 2 miles, "as the crow flies," to the bay. 6 to Ft. Myers Beach.

becca I live in Cape Coral so I think we are about the same. Tom is ahead of us cause it will get cold for him earlier. I don't put much in the yard before October. If your plant is transplant size by then this means fresh veggies for Chritmas, YUM.

So, I need to cool my heels and go back to picking weeds out of my flower beds for a few more months, eh? :(
Keiki, have you started tomato seedlings, and if not, when do you do that?

Thanks

Plant amaranth, roselle. Visit echo.

Dianne

I wouldn't start tomatoes until sept 1st at the earliest.... I'm on Marco island. We started later than that last year and did quite well with few diseases till the end of the season... Lots of rain is a nightmare early... And it's been a wet late summer for us. I'd rather err on the side of starting too late. Just gotta keep working on your design and soil prep for another month!

I'm glad you folks down there chimed in, I always hate to do more than state some generalizatons when it's not my back yard climate-wise, or micro climate-wise ;-)

Tom

Thanks Dianne for the the pot-in-bed idea.....we already lost the early test squash(s) quickly to some cutworms.....fresh raised beds with lots-o-compost......I'll set new transplants out in one gallon pots of Al's 511 surrounded by the bed

dougandpam

I have two test squash going. One in a pot, the other in a coffee filter in a raised bed. After our heavy rains this week, the coffee filter plant is struggling. The plant in the pot is 5 times it size and happy as a lark. .... I have hope .....

~dianne

I suggest you grow cowpeas, and even some poles beans can stand the heat, leaf amaranth, molokiya(sp?), egyption spinach, okra, they all grow well in summer here so don't resort yourself to weed pulling near the flowers grow some new and exotic summer veggies just make sure to water them (use greywater or rainbarrel water) : ) best of luck with the squash..

P.s: maybe instead of transplants you direct seed next month?? My squash hate transplanting and grow MUCH better direct seeded : )

I'm in CC/FM area too. Went to a veg gardening class at Lee County Extension and they said that, as a general rule, not to plant anything here until the first or second week of Oct.

Thanks tlc, Maybe I need to check out one of those classes.