Early Spring planting

[Luvs2Cook]

What would be considered "Early spring" planting, now, April?
We want to plant our lettuce, onions, radishes first but not sure what is considered "early spring"? We are in Northeast Pa and the weather is still below freezing.
Thanks!

 

[sparrowgrass]

Talk to your local extension office--google "PA, your county, Extension" to find it.

We have a planting guide for Missouri that tells exactly when to plant.

I already have lettuce, peas, kohlrabi, carrots etc in the ground, but you will have to wait a while. The soil needs to thaw and then dry out before you can plant.

 

[Loprraine]

If your weather is still below freezing, I think it's too early to plant. The ground will still be frozen. When I lived in Toronto, early spring planting, to me anyway, was when the ground was thawed, and there was little to no chance of frost. That ususally meant late April or early May. I've only been to PA once, so am not familiar with when your weather warms up. Good luck with the planting!

 

[babetoo]

If your weather is still below freezing, I think it's too early to plant. The ground will still be frozen. When I lived in Toronto, early spring planting, to me anyway, was when the ground was thawed, and there was little to no chance of frost. That ususally meant late April or early May. I've only been to PA once, so am not familiar with when your weather warms up. Good luck with the planting!

i think for her area you are right on.

i live in so calif. planted lettuce,carrots,squash,eggplant,tomatoes, garlic and parsley. i think that was all. i have lettuce, eggplant and squash coming up. i planted about a couple weeks ago. where i live there is rarely ever any frost at all. i agree do not plant til no chance of frost. i played entirely in pots. very exciting and fun

 

[MJK]

Here in SC PA we have peas and spinach in the ground. You could also plant radish and maybe carrots. Leaf lettuce is ok if you have one of those small dome covers for over it. Garlic should be in from last year and onions with the next dark moon. Good luck.

 

[Claire]

I live in NW IL and wouldn't even consider planting yet (I actually think I see a blizzard on the weather channel!) I am going to plant some things in pots on a windowsill to transplant to the garden later. The tradition here is that you don't do serious planting until mothers' day. So we have well over a month to go. I'll use the time to clean the beds. Ironically, weeds seem to do just fine. I do have chives coming up and, weirdly enough, a tulip in the middle of my herb garden. When I bought this house (8 years ago), I decided that location was perfect for an herb garden (and it is, I've had herb gardens from Hawaii to Virgina to Florida and back again, but this is the best of them), and I tried to dig up and transplant that one tulip. Every year it still pops up in the middle of the herb garden. Needless to say, I've given up on it and just enjoy it now!

My husband is a bit unhappy that our crocus aren't up yet. He's wondering if they are dead. I suspect he's just suffering from spring fever.

 

[recipedirect]

I'm in SC and have planted my basil, lavander, dill, parsley and cilantro. I'm not doing veggies this year but my neighbor has planted tomatoes, green onions, peppers. I have garlic, rosemary, oregano and thyme and chives from last year. I think I lost my lemon grass which I have been babying all winter.

Liz

 

[Constance]

I found this information for you from the Men's Garden Club of Pittsburg:

Frost Dates

On average, residents of Pittsburgh receive their last hard frost on April 20. The average last hard frost for outlying communities is April 30. The frost free date is two weeks later. To be on the safe side, hold off planting tender vegetables and annuals until Memorial Day weekend. The holiday has been known as the traditional frost-free planting date around here for a very good reason-late spring frosts!
Frost-tolerant vegetables such as beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, onions, peas, radishes, spinach and Swiss chard can be. planted outdoors from mid- to late April. Pansies are frost-tolerant and can be planted outdoors at the same time.

 

[Claire]

By-the-way, the crocus made a huge show this year when they finally came out. Daffodils will be blooming by the end of the week ... well, maybe even today (it is o'dark-thirty). I put in my hardy greens garden, knowing that rain was coming, and that IS the best way to water a new garden. A friend told me she put in potatoes this year. Galena is starting their first community garden, and she, a real serious gardener, is going to participate because their yard has become more and more shady. I, on the other hand, have had to have five trees removed from my yard in the time I've lived here, so my gardens are getting sunnier and sunnier. Last year I was literally throwing cucumbers away. Not going to grow them this year simply because throwing away food goes way against the grain. But boy, am I looking forward to tomatoes and fresh herbs.

 

[Claire]

Well, last week, the week after Mothers' Day, I put in my garden, and an herb garden for some older friends as well, and today either my husband or I will plant flowers on a friends' husband's grave (yes, there is a story behind that). For myself it was three "early girl" tomatoes (I actually get tomatoes a couple of weeks before anyone I know who uses other varieties does. Given that our season is pretty short, I enjoy the head start). I also experiment every year with a single plant of a different variety, usually heirloom, this time it's Wisconsin something. Since I can spit and hit Wisconsin, I'm hoping it will take to our short season. Two eggplants, 5 poblanos, 4 super cayennes. Lots of herbs, both for me and my friends. The hardy greens are coming up (spinach, mustard, and chard) and I'll soon add the more delicate lettuce (yes, we actually had a frost warning a couple of nights ago; luckily nothing came of it).

 

[MJK]

Got all the garden in last week. Replanted it this past weekend to replace what the rabbits and squirrels ate. Had frost last night. I had the sensitive plants covered but won't know the extent of the damage until later today. Have wonderful spinach and green onions now. The peas are starting to come along if only the rabbits will leave them alone and the asparagus is about done.

 

[babetoo]

of course my spring comes early in so calif. everything has been planted for two months. got first tomato ripe day before yesterday. granted it was only one grape sized pear shaped yellow one. but it was yummy. gonna water in a bit and hope i have more. already eaten lettuce from my plants.