New to area, when do you start to seed?

16 years ago

I'm chopping at the bit to get outside and start throwing seeds. I'm living at the Lake of the Ozark area....when do you think it will be safe? Yesterday I tilled an area and threw some brown eye susans, daisys and poppies all before a bit of rain. Any one else feeling the same way? Would love to hear from ya.

Pam

Comments (9)

posy_pet
16 years ago
You can plant inside but anything that isn't hardy is liable to freeze outside.We had a really hard freeze last year (in April?) that killed all my real lilies including tiger lilies that had been on our place forever.I think what you have planted is fine.Larkspur would be ok too.I would work on weeding and cleaning up and getting ready to get your soil ready.If you work clay too early,it is not good.You can plant lettuce outside too.And cabbage and such.April 15 is our last frost date here.We can still have frost after that and do.May 15 is safer.Posy_Pet
gldno1
16 years ago
If the package says it will self-seed, it should be ok to plant seed outside now, if not, if is too early.

Now would be a good time to start inside plants that can go out after your frost-free date.
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christie_sw_mo
16 years ago
Hi Pam! I think I still owe you some seeds. Now that you're settled into your new home, I'd be glad to collect some for you.

I've been anxious to do some gardening too. The forecast is above freezing for the next 10 days and it sure feels like spring BUT every year in March I think "maybe we won't have any more cold weather" and then we always do and Posy Pet is right, it's not extremely unusual to have frost after April 15th. I'd say that's happened three times in the last 10 years for me.
The winter sowing forum has some lists on their FAQ pages that show which ones can be sown before freezes are over.
jspeachyn5
16 years ago
Welcome to the missouri way of gardening. You can plant and start all in side. if you are like most of us we have no room to move or use any space in our home until it is time to plant outside. But this start to the year keeps most of us sane until it's time for the real thing. I don't think I have a free spot for any thing right now. But if I see a seed I want I may find room. lol. good luck
Bonnie
oakleif
16 years ago
Pam, I have radishes planted outside too. Bonnie i hear you about not having any room because of seedlings. It's only going to get worse as i put more seedlings in individual pots.
vickie
mulberryknob
16 years ago
The seeds you mentioned should all be fine. My poppies, rudbeckia and daisies along with larkspur have been self-seeding and coming up in winter to bloom early spring for years. Then batchelor's button and zinnia seeds come up and bloom later. You didn't say if you want to plant veggies but right now is time to put out cabbage plants and sow lettuce, radishes, beets, spinach. I like to wait until mid-april to put out tomatoes, broccoli and pepper plants and to sow corn, beans, squash. But if you are buying broc plants you should probably put them out now, but they aren't quite as cold hardy as cab. Happy gardening. Dorothy
bluesky_girl
16 years ago
I was wondering about the frost-free date myself. (live in St Louis) I always thought it was May 15th but a recent web search is turning up dates more like April 15th for Zone 6 which I don't agree with. So I wait until mid-May before putting out my tomato and pepper plants. Do try the winter-sowing forum. I'm trying that myself first time ever, and I've got bachelor buttons, poppies, statice and larkspur all coming up already. Getting ready to sow cosmos, marigolds and alyssum. And it really cuts down on what kind of room you need to start seeds inside.
regencylass
16 years ago
I start my broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower seeds indoors on the first of January. A large flat of tomatoes and peppers on Valentine's Day, and another flat on St. Pats Day, as well as a flat of misc. such as cucumbers, eggplants, flowers, etc. Lettuce and cold loving plant seeds were sown outside on St. Pats week-end. The indoor seedlings are transplanted and placed in the hoop house until temps are warm enough to be planted outside. I have several out there now under heat lamps as the temp is supposed to get around 28Â°F tonight (~brrrrr~). I am sooo ready for winter to finally be over.
mulberryknob
16 years ago
Yeah, some websites are redoing climate maps to adjust for global warming--but remember that awful killing frost last April? THat took out most of my broccoli, beets and snap peas--and they were two feet tall! Here in z6b we've always considered April 15 average last frost, but I can remember frosts in May although not in recent years. You hate to lose it, but early stuff simply has to go in early and most years it will be fine. The late broc, beets and peas that I replanted last year only gave me 1/2 a crop before hot weather took them out.