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elkwc

Planting finally

elkwc
10 years ago

I have around 1/3 of the tomato plants in. I keep saying I won't plant as many this year. Guess we wlll see. I'm going to attach a link to a soil temp map. My soil temps are great. On the map you can see the tip that comes up and covers us. The problem is the cool mornings. The last two mornings have been in the 50's. But they are saying a possibility of low 40's early next week. I'm going ahead and putting in warm season crops along with the rest. The soil temp is there and with the drought want to get some growth in before the intense heat hits. One source is saying possible mid 90's by this weekend. Then cooler temps 8-9 days out. The garlic has finally took off. A sign that it is time to plant. They are saying we could see some moisture in 7-10 days. That is if there is some change some models are predicting.

Comments (4)

  • elkwc
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Forgot the link for the soil temp map. You can tell the soil temps are right as the corn farmers are all planting as fast as they can. Many started last Saturday afternoon. The late spring has everyone trying to catch up. Like I've said before my soil temps are usually ahead of my morning air temps. So have to consider both when planting. I may use some hot caps or floating row cover if the cool morning return like predicted. Jay

    Here is a link that might be useful: Soil temps

  • Pamchesbay
    10 years ago

    Jay - Congratulations - it always feels good to get started.

    I planted the last of my tomatoes two days ago - more than 6 weeks later than usual. I thought we were entering a warmer period, but it only last two days. I think we are safe from frost but just barely.
    I checked the soil temp map - that's a very good site with lots of data. I bookmarked it. Thank you!

  • Okiedawn OK Zone 7
    10 years ago

    Jay, I'm glad you finally are able to get some plants in the ground. Your soil temps look great---too bad your air temperatures aren't yet staying consistently warm.

    Our soil temperatures here are wonderful and we mostly have warm air temps to go with them. I am about to finish up planting. I planted more summer squash, the late corn, muskmelons, cucumbers and the last of the peppers this weekend, as well as lots of warm-season herbs and flowers. I even planted winter squash, more okra and sweet potatoes. I still have southern peas, more beans and watermelons to plant. Then I'll be "done" until the cool-season crops start finishing up and I then start pulling them out and putting succession crops in their space.

    Three weeks ago our rainfall pattern changed and rain stopped falling here. We just moved back from moderate to severe drought, which is so discouraging with the typical hot summer temperatures just around the corner. Yesterday morning was chilly here (47 degrees) but once the sun came up, it warmed up really quickly.

    I said I would cut back on tomato plants a great deal, and I did. It wasn't easy. I really had to fight the urge to squeeze in more tomato plants here and there. Having drastically fewer tomato plants left me room for a lot of other stuff, and that part of it is fun.

    Pam, The recurring cold fronts with freezing temps and frost about drove me crazy. I've never had to cover up plants so many times in one season. I didn't think it ever would end. I think my earliest tomato plants went into the ground only 7-10 days late but I staggered the plantings over several weeks and felt like I never was going to get finished. I hope the weather settles itself down and cooperates with us a little more than it has been.

    Dawn

  • slowpoke_gardener
    10 years ago

    I am losing what little mind I had left trying to get everything ready. These last minutes decisions to build more beds and plant new vegetables, plus the slow weather has really got me behind, and it looks like it will go from a late spring to an early hot dry summer any day now.

    Larry

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