When is the best time to start planting vegs in a planter box?

[cantdrv55]

I’m in NorCal and the weather has been real nice lately. It’s been in the mid 40s in the early morning then 60s in the afternoon. Last year I waited too late to plant so didn’t harvest too many vegs at all plus I should’ve probably turned my soil. Anyway, when are you guys starting to plant?

[Arizona_928]

Right after the last freeze

[wdfifteen]

Check the soil temperature. Seeds need different minimum temperatures to sprout. I use a digital kitchen thermometer. Lettuce can germinate at temps as low as 35F, beans need 60 degrees. You need to look up the minimum germination temperature for the crop you're trying to grow.

[KFC911]

9:45 am

[GH85Carrera]

Our guest bathroom bathtub looks like a pot grow operation right now. Not a bit of pot or vegies growing, just flowers. My master gardener wife starts plants from seeds from last year's crop of flowers. It even overflows into the Jacuzzi tub in our master bathroom. I have never used the Jacuzzi tub in the almost 25 years we have lived here so I don't care.

[masraum]

Doesn't it depend upon the veggies and the climate in the particular area?

And then it may be a good idea to get a farmers almanac and then plant based on the days of the month that they recommend.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

Our guest bathroom bathtub looks like a pot grow operation right now. Not a bit of pot or vegies growing, just flowers. My master gardener wife starts plants from seeds from last year's crop of flowers. It even overflows into the Jacuzzi tub in our master bathroom. I have never used the Jacuzzi tub in the almost 25 years we have lived here so I don't care.

Your post cued an image like this in my brain.

[gregpark]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Check the soil temperature. Seeds need different minimum temperatures to sprout. I use a digital kitchen thermometer. Lettuce can germinate at temps as low as 35F, beans need 60 degrees. You need to look up the minimum germination temperature for the crop you're trying to grow.

This.
No sense in planting until the ground warms up. Until then the plants won't do anything. I just wait until the ground is 60° to plant anything

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by masraum

And then it may be a good idea to get a farmers almanac and then plant based on the days of the month that they recommend.

Seeds won't sprout in soil that is too cold, no matter what the calendar says. Once they've sprouted some plants (particularly onions) develop based on hours of sunlight. Others, like tomatoes, won't produce fruit until the night time temperature remains above 50 degrees. Depending on a calendar is a only a general way of determining what the appropriate growing conditions are.

[gtc]

Up here we are starting our seeds indoors right now, and will plant outside after the last frost (later this month). Some seeds sprout quickly enough that this is not needed.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Seeds won't sprout in soil that is too cold, no matter what the calendar says. Once they've sprouted some plants (particularly onions) develop based on hours of sunlight. Others, like tomatoes, won't produce fruit until the night time temperature remains above 50 degrees. Depending on a calendar is a only a general way of determining what the appropriate growing conditions are.

My recommendation for using the almanac was to wait until you had the right weather, and then pick the first good date in the almanac after that date for sewing seeds. IE, you think the ground/weather is warm enough as of Mar 8th, then check the almanac for the best dates to plant seeds, and if that's Mar 16, then plant them then.

My understanding is that certain actions benefit from being timed to cycles of the moon, whether it's pruning, transplanting, sewing seed, etc....

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by masraum

My understanding is that certain actions benefit from being timed to cycles of the moon, whether it's pruning, transplanting, sewing seed, etc....

I’ve always considered that to be an old wive’s tale.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by masraum

Your post cued an image like this in my brain.

Not quite.


The guest bathroom has a plant heating pad under it and the obvious light above it, with the individual plants from seeds each planted in a toilet paper core (cheap!) and she waters it only on occasion as they are in the greenhouse like environment. The plastic storage bin just keeps the moisture in and the heat up.



The master bathroom has plants brought in from outside to over winter. That is a Plumeria in the back, and other plants from the gardens. She has more in the kitchen next to the south window.



This is the results in the summer. Nothing to eat, just pretty flowers. We often have people stop in front of the house and stare or take pictures.

[gregpark]

^ beautiful!
We love gardening too. Here's a roof garden i built on top of the garage. 16x10 but we like it so much I'm going to do the other half of the roof

[cantdrv55]

Nice!

[masraum]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

Not quite.


The guest bathroom has a plant heating pad under it and the obvious light above it, with the individual plants from seeds each planted in a toilet paper core (cheap!) and she waters it only on occasion as they are in the greenhouse like environment. The plastic storage bin just keeps the moisture in and the heat up.



The master bathroom has plants brought in from outside to over winter. That is a Plumeria in the back, and other plants from the gardens. She has more in the kitchen next to the south window.



This is the results in the summer. Nothing to eat, just pretty flowers. We often have people stop in front of the house and stare or take pictures.

I think you've posted that last pic before. The results speak for themselves.

Originally Posted by gregpark

^ beautiful!
We love gardening too. Here's a roof garden i built on top of the garage. 16x10 but we like it so much I'm going to do the other half of the roof

Wow, that's fantastic!