Seed starting dates.

Do you use the dates in Mel's book or do you go by another source when starting seeds indoors? There are so many divergent views. Just wondering.

I used the weeks before last frost dates from Mel's All New Square Gardening Book. I also checked the Old Farmer's Almanac which had similar information.

You need to determine if you will use the Average Last Frost Date or the last historical frost date which will be later.

I choose my own frost free date. Our springs have been improving. I take the Map's last Frost Free date then predate it about 10 days to 2 weeks and use that as my personal Frost Free date. With the use of row cover (the heavy one that protects to 28*) plus some towels kept handy so I can cover by seed beds at nite, I've been lucky. I also place gal-size milk containers over my plants and put the lid on in the afternoon to save the heat during the nite.
Before I even start to plant outdoors, I've covered the chosen beds tightly with plastic for a couple of weeks so the soil has warmed up.

The calendar tells me in my area of Maine the last Frost Free date is May 30th but this year I'm choosing the week of May 10th. I can always leave the started seedlings inside if its still cold or we're having drenching rains and the soil needs to dry out. The seed beds can be covered with old blankets or towels if necessary.
If I lose some to a killing frost, I still have time to plant others.

quiltbea wrote:I choose my own frost free date.
If I lose some to a killing frost, I still have time to plant others.

+1

I had May 9 written in my booklet for last year. Except we had Snowmageddon, etc., around here last spring, so my beds were being constructed at the end of April. I direct-seeded and plants were up in early May.

We are lucky in Central Maryland because the University of Maryland Cooperative Extensions has prepared a "Vegetable Planting Calendar for Central Maryland". It includes dates for growing seedlings indoors, transplanting times, and times for seeding outdoors. You can get it at this website:
http://www.growit.umd.edu/Food%20Gardening%20Publications.cfm

The calendar is at the end of the list.

Agreed with choosing your own date. However, Mel's "before last frost" dates are good guidelines to start with when you have no experience.

As you learn, you will inevitably add covers, hoop-houses, warming plastic, etc to extend your seasons. By that time, you will know when you can start what.

This is the best map I've found for frost dates. It states that there is a 50 percent chance that the last frost will occur after the spring date given, or before the fall date. So even the average frost dates can be way off.

Frost dates map

If I understand correctly, those frost dates are based on the climate trends which are formulated from data reported from over 3000 weather stations across the US. The latest trend data that was reported came from the period of 1971-2000 which was considered an "abnormal" period. I think the next one will be based on 1981-2010. I read recently that they are expecting a change since the 1970's will be dropped, which was the period of abnormal trend. (If memory serves, I think that decade was cooler and wetter than normal.)

If you like reading technical data, check out this site which gives info based on 3-month trends. It discusses La Nina and El Nino activity and temperature and moisture predictions, although it doesn't give specific expected frost dates.

NOAA 90-day predictions

The next report is due out on Jan. 20 which should give us better indications of what to expect in spring.

Thanks for the links Ander!!!

Tomorrow, 1/15, going to be 48 degrees, cold frame is ready and the seeds are going to find new homes!! Wooooo Hoooooo

trustinhart wrote:Tomorrow, 1/15, going to be 48 degrees, cold frame is ready and the seeds are going to find new homes!! Wooooo Hoooooo

Well, I'm not going to start any seeds any time soon, but I thought I would share this blog entry fromChiotsrun.com good tutorial.

Great link, Camprn. Thanks.

Did you read the comment which said that misting seedlings with chamomile tea helps with fungus problems?

Has anyone tried that?

BTW, I just realized I never did really answer SQFTBIX original question. I loosely follow the expert's suggestions, whether it's from Mel or the NOAA site or the Farmer's Almanac which are usually all in the same ballpark. But I would rather start too soon than too late. One can always hold over large transplants another week or two inside if the weather hasn't yet settled. It's more difficult to make tiny plants grow faster if they aren't large enough to be safely transplanted.

Timing isn't so critical here for things like tomatoes and peppers which grow in the heat of summer, but it makes a big difference in spring crops which may fail if they don't produce before summer heat arrives. I opt for the earliest dates for cool-weather crops. In fact, I should be planting the seeds for transplants now. If a late freeze is forecast after I set them out in the garden I'll cover them and hope for the best.

I am not sure if anyone else posted this before, sorry if it's a repost. So here is another great seed starting calculator.
Seed Starting Calculator from Johnny's

Oh, that's a nice calculator... thanks!