Warning: That perfect sunny week last April turned into a disaster for my garden

I had a stretch in mid April where we got 7 straight days of sun and warmth in Portland. I was so happy I planted my tomato starts early, around the 15th. Then a cold snap hit on April 22nd with temps dropping to 38 degrees. I lost all 12 plants because I didn't check the forecast past a week out. Now I always wait until after May 1st no matter how nice it looks. Has anyone else lost plants from a similar early season mistake?

2 comments

2 Comments

barbara_sanchez8810d ago

Hold your horses a second. I planted my tomatoes on April 10th that same year in Portland and they did just fine. The trick is not to plant them straight in the ground but to use cloches or row covers for that first week or two. I lost zero plants because I was ready for that cold snap with some old milk jugs and a bit of burlap. Taking a risk with early planting can actually give you a head start on the season if you're willing to baby them a little. Your mileage may vary but I've been doing this for years and it's always paid off for me.

markl759d ago

Milk jugs and burlap against 38 degrees? @barbara_sanchez88 that's a wild gamble for April 10th planting. I didn't expect anyone would risk their starts that early even with covers.