by username1224 » Mon Feb 13, 2023 6:32 am
Unfortunately, we have a short growing season here in New York state.
For years, I messed around with starting plants in the house, at one point I had 1,000 plants started in the house and hardly any room to move around in here, it was terrible. Given that I have a huge garden, buying all these plants is not an option.
Over the years, I've learned a few things that help with a short growing season. I hardly start any plants in the house anymore nowadays.
Here are some tips, feel free to add your own if you have any.
1) Zucchini: I used to start my zucchini plants in the house a couple weeks before the last frost. Not only is this not necessary, if you start them too early, they will be ready wayyyy before the tomatoes are ready, and many recipes that call for zucchini also call for tomatoes, so you're better off getting them ready together.
I plant my zucchini around the first of June now and always have a great yield
2) Tomatoes: If you want early tomatoes, then you don't have a choice to start them in the house or buy some plants, but you can very easily grow tomatoes by planting seeds directly outdoors here in NY. The secret is to plant them *before* it is frost safe and cover the ground with plastic after planting. The plastic keeps the ground warm and makes the seed germinate quicker. I learned this past season that even when there is a frost, your seedlings will not be destroyed when covered with plastic. I had a ton of tomatoes this year and all were started right outdoors, from seed.
3) Cucumbers: These too, I used to plant indoors first. It isn't necessary. Plant them outdoors right from seed. If they're in the first week of June, you're good to go.
4) Cabbages: Cabbages can be planted by the first of May, don't worry about a little frost, it won't hurt them.
5) Peppers: That's a different story, if you are going to start anything indoors, make it peppers, they need longer than any other veg.
6) Leeks: Leeks need 150 days to mature, we don't have that up here. Plant them in spring, leave them in the ground all winter, and harvest them next spring. You can also harvest them when they are young, they don't have to be huge.
7) Pumpkins: What I do is, I plant them from seed, pretty close together, like in a regular seed bed, then cover with plastic. They will come up pretty quickly. You can leave them covered and they will grow quick. Plant around the 2nd or 3rd week in May. By the second week in June, plant them in their final locations and enjoy them grow.
Unfortunately, we have a short growing season here in New York state.
For years, I messed around with starting plants in the house, at one point I had 1,000 plants started in the house and hardly any room to move around in here, it was terrible. Given that I have a huge garden, buying all these plants is not an option.
Over the years, I've learned a few things that help with a short growing season. I hardly start any plants in the house anymore nowadays.
Here are some tips, feel free to add your own if you have any.
1) Zucchini: I used to start my zucchini plants in the house a couple weeks before the last frost. Not only is this not necessary, if you start them too early, they will be ready wayyyy before the tomatoes are ready, and many recipes that call for zucchini also call for tomatoes, so you're better off getting them ready together.
I plant my zucchini around the first of June now and always have a great yield
2) Tomatoes: If you want early tomatoes, then you don't have a choice to start them in the house or buy some plants, but you can very easily grow tomatoes by planting seeds directly outdoors here in NY. The secret is to plant them *before* it is frost safe and cover the ground with plastic after planting. The plastic keeps the ground warm and makes the seed germinate quicker. I learned this past season that even when there is a frost, your seedlings will not be destroyed when covered with plastic. I had a ton of tomatoes this year and all were started right outdoors, from seed.
3) Cucumbers: These too, I used to plant indoors first. It isn't necessary. Plant them outdoors right from seed. If they're in the first week of June, you're good to go.
4) Cabbages: Cabbages can be planted by the first of May, don't worry about a little frost, it won't hurt them.
5) Peppers: That's a different story, if you are going to start anything indoors, make it peppers, they need longer than any other veg.
6) Leeks: Leeks need 150 days to mature, we don't have that up here. Plant them in spring, leave them in the ground all winter, and harvest them next spring. You can also harvest them when they are young, they don't have to be huge.
7) Pumpkins: What I do is, I plant them from seed, pretty close together, like in a regular seed bed, then cover with plastic. They will come up pretty quickly. You can leave them covered and they will grow quick. Plant around the 2nd or 3rd week in May. By the second week in June, plant them in their final locations and enjoy them grow.