Finally someone who speaks common sense. Planting zones are not the bible when it comes to planting and growing. They are a guide. Nothing beats your own garden when it comes to planting. Whether you in a valley or on top of a hill, observation is the best guide. Watch your garden and it will teach you more that any garden channel anywhere. Your garden is area specific. Ben gift of explaining things in a simple manner makes it easy to understand and grow better food. This channel is now at the top of my gardening channels.
I totally agree with Ben on the zone issue. I live approx 20miles from Ben (never met the man but hopefully we can get together and share stories)and the grow zone means basically nothing to an established grower in our area. Locals have a saying year round here, "if you don't like the weather here in coastal NC, wait 5 minutes and it's going to change". We basically live in an off grid zone. So just to entertain myself I'm going to call my zone "The Sandy Bottom Zone".
I'm also in North Carolina but the opposite end of the state and I use the same planting dates described in the video. I moved here from the north Georgia mountains in '21 so I'm (somewhat) new to this climate but my first year garden was amazing. I'm going to try winter sowing this year (flowers, grasses, and vegetables) and I can't wait to get started.
I'm also in NC (zone somewhere between 5a & 9b), and I've also heard that about the weather when I lived in the midwest as well. He's right about it being cold up in Mass, but it can be done. My grandmother's entire back yard was nothing but garden, even had a grape vibe growing as a carporti that she used to use to make wine with. My ultimate goal is to be as self sufficient as possible, but it's a long journey, I'm only in my 1st year of really getting into it.
My last frost date is in the neighborhood of march 22. My seed starting starts around February 12. I’m in north east Texas. We’ve been able to have onions and brassicas in December and January with a little watchfulness. Currently I’ve got two volunteer tomatoes plants growing in my gray water discharge on the back of my property. They don’t know it’s December. I love a gamble so I’m just gonna hide and watch.
I used to start seeds indoors mid Jan. but no longer do it that early, let me tell you why. By planting them that early, I had to trim them back so I didn't have a jungle in my house before I could get them planted outside. Also, I noticed my neighbor waited longer to start his seeds and after planting them outside, they would always catch up with my plants anyway. As a reference, I am in South Carolina.
PNW Maritime climate We used to always plant in row gardens growing up. Had excellent gardens but only had a summer garden. Tomatoes peppers started 4/15 or so. Everything else direct sown. Sweet Corn (golden bantam) planted 6/15-7/4 it needs the heat to germinate. Its good to know your varieties that grow best in your climate as well. It’s all a learning curve. Now that I have a low tunnel I can get tomatoes in the ground in late April. I can also plant brassicas outside late March. I do a spring break planting who’s is around March 20th or so. Since I work at a public school it lends well with getting a spring garden planted at that time.
I'm in southwest Pa (Pittsburgh) . For 4 years I've been going by all of the things you are saying don't matter.. no wonder my plants would start to grow and die off, only because just like other areas my area can get really hot. The leaves and shoots would be sun scorched. This year I decided i rather take a chance with the frost then lose everything in the heat. Then i found you.. I'm so Thankful for your information now I'm confident this is the best way for me to grow. My last Frost date is around April 19th.. May can get really hot. We also are listed as having a short growing season. June, July and August is usually extremely hot and humid with crazy storms and high winds.Along with long periods of drought esp the last few years. I really just want to thank you for all your information, your, ideas, this is going to be saving me so much time effort and money!! ❤😊 I never have a problem with herbs or zucchini. They're the only things I've ever been able to grow without a problem which is great but had me frustrated over wondering why brassicas, peas, and other plants just would just die off. Even when started inside, or by the milk jug method!!!
I'm 6 seconds in and I had to pause the video and say thank you and subscribed! You are MY kind of teacher. No fluff, straight to the point. THANK YOU!
I just moved last summer from Chicago to South Carolina. So I’ve been a gardener in the Chicagoland area for the past 20 years. What I’ve discovered in the last five years was winter sewing. It’s where you put seeds in milk jugs, or other containers and put them outside. If you’re a cold weather Gardner, this is an exhilarating chance to garden in the middle of December in January. Where you otherwise would not. RU-vid is filled with videos. I highly recommend it.
Took me two years of growing to get it into my thick skull about Zones and how are really only for perennials! Thanks for reminding us in the learning journey :-)
I am from PA. End of January I will start cabbage, kale, onions, brussel sprouts and broccoli. There might be some other cold weather plants I call them that can take the early cold. February the first pepper seeds. If growing flower seeds such as petunia and begonias I will start them too. They take a long time to develope. Last growing some herbs I learned some take the same way to grow as the petunias. I grew basil, thyme and oregano. This year I am trying some other ones too. March 1st all tomatoes. They grow very fast in my little greenhouse. It's about 15 years old and I bought it at Tractor Supply. I place a small electric heater in it so I have heat in it. Backup is a Coleman heater. If you open up the doors now it is spring in it. Geraniums, poinsettias, orchids and a some other flowers that are surviving. Last winter I lost most of everything due to a power outage. Of course it was 17 below. But I learned. As long as you keep learning you will get better. Not everything is set in stone. But you were very informative and I have become a subscriber. I love to learn things to become more self sufficient.
Theres also an elder in Michigan who grows citrus in winter using geothermal greenhouse integrated into the dwelling i believe. Idk if that also works against the harsh summer heat but it solved the winter too cold problem.
Geothermal will cool in the summer and warm in the winter. It's a very interesting subject to study. Hoping to build a geothermal greenhouse when we get out next property.
I am so grateful to be farming in Ireland. We really only have 2 seasons. No really hard winter but low light levels. I recognise how difficult it must be to grow in extreme heat.
😂yes across the pond is cooler. My grandma would always say that. But in Arkansas we have hollars which is very deep and not a lot of sun.cooler in winter but hot air gets trapped her in summer and gets steam is awful. No air moving. We are lucky to plant 4 times a year. Have a good new year.
I live in the south lands of Arkansas (just moved back home after 5 years in the Ozarks, so I understand the dips you talk about). I agree with the heat. It’s all we know. Okra and purple hulls are what survive the heat and we get an abundance of it. I couldn’t survive in a cooler climate because we can’t grow a lot of those things. And we don’t know how. I think that’s the beautiful thing about eating local. It’s different everywhere you go! It’s pointless for me to grow most brassicas, beets, carrots... to have a huge amount to store. They don’t get big. I plant heirloom, so I’m sure there are hot weather varieties, but I don’t grow them. I like to stick with peppers, tomatoes, corn, beans, cowpeas, soft neck garlic, onions, cucumbers, okra, potatoes, sorghum, and I DO plant cabbage. I just have to grow a LOT and my heads are smaller because it gets to hot.
WNY. Cool season hardy annual plant out date 4-6 weeks before LFD. Tender annuals 2 weeks after FFD. Thats the general rule I have learned. Then... 6-8 wks BFF for Hardy annuals. Thanks for your common sense and sensibility.
Great video. The hot summer word is aestivation and it is when things go dormant in the heat (basically, the south's hibernation. I'm in south Houston, TX and I start all of my tomatoes and peppers the week of Christmas. I only grow 50-60 day tomatoes, plant out in water walls in mid February, because they will melt by the time the June rains hit.
My great grandfather planted his cash crop, field corn, when the leaves on the oaks were as big as a squirrel's ear. He made his living selling that corn so it was important to not get caught by a freeze. Nature knows when it's safe. Watch her for a couple of years and you'll figure out when to plant. 'Till then use what the weather guessers say to get by.
Central Florida. My seed starts next week. Plant dates mid February to March 1. I still have tomatoes going from last fall and broccoli and cabbage. Potatoes and greens ..
I'm in Tyler, TX and my last frost is March 13-28. This is my second yr of gardening so I'm still learning. I didn't do all that great last year but I'm going to try again, I know I've got a lot to learn 😊
I'm in Northern California. Our last frost date is February 15th. This is my second year growing a substantial garden. I did not understand the planting dates and was waaayyyy off in my starting and planting this year. I recently took cuttings from some nice tomato plants that have already started to root, as an experiment. I am still getting tomatoes, although they take forever to ripen.
I really pushed my Colorado planting dates last year, and sure enough, there were things thriving, (kale, carrots, broccoli) in the middle of winter! All it took was a little plastic to lay over the top.
I live in arkansas and i planted in trays kale, carrots, brussel sprout and brocoli and they have been on the screen porch and still are and they are fine
I plan on seed starting in my house early April. I am in PEI, Canada and will still have snow probably until my plant date, but I want to get broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage in and harvested before the 30 plus temps and the cabbage butterflies start mid July.
Have to be watchful of the changing weather in NW Arkansas. I remain optimistic and start seeds by the middle of February. Continue to love your channel.
Shout out from Northwest Florida! As a transplant from NorCal gardening is very different down here but a fun challenge. I think my last frost is march 6, i will be starting my starts in the next week
I built a really nice greenhouse at the end of last summer but it doesn't really do much as far as keeping anything warmer. It's really just more vertical growing space. So I ended up buying grow lights and building a little shed on my porch. I've got basil starts right now that are about 4in. ***This is is Washington state. 8a/b.
I am Nova Scotia, last frost date is June 1. Being in a Maritime climate we definitely have a lack of sun, even in the summer it’s often foggy until noon. Agree 100% that you should be gardening throughout the seasons, plenty of cold tolerant plants you can start early.
NC between Statesville and Winston near I-40. 69 years old and I am pretty good on most crops. I do seem to be late planting Russian kale in the fall, mine is now 6-8" tall and has had no cover on it. I am disappointed to say I can't grow a darn radish because I either plant too late and the bulbs freeze or too early and they bolt. I love radishes! My fall planted snow peas still haven't sprouted and they were planted with the Russian kale. Just subbed to your channel and I guess I will be binge-watching.
I'm in Arkansas River Valley and I'm actually about to start me seeds right now for winter. I had put some kale, spinach, and turnip green seeds out back and mulched them. I have NO idea what happened, but those suckers didn't come up. In the meantime, I've harvested my microgreens 3x. So since i know we'll be in "cold hardy" whether for at least another 2 months I'm going to plant more of those seeds and add in broccoli and cilantro. I'll wait until those get a good size and then put them outside. For spring planting, I'll probably start seeds on March 1st. It got hot and dry FAST last year. So I'm going to get a better jump this year, and see if i can take more advantage of "pick and come again" crops.
You're the other side of the country but more like my garden weather than anyone else I've come across. Already serious seed starring and prepping going on. I usually have a gorgeous winter garden but I lost all last summer and fall to a series of illnesses so I'm playing catch up. I got the garlic in during a couple of decent days. My nemesis is our hot dry summers. I use a lot of shade cloth!! I'm going out in the rain as soon as there is a break to do some more clean up and get some more black covers changed up on Earthboxes. Casting our more flower seeds. Yaay Favorite thing is going to be stringing trellisses anticipating all those gorgeous climbing things.
I'm in California but we always have frost in April. So I'm waiting until may to plant peppers and tomatoes. I will start seeds mid February this year.
Massachusetts here. Newer gardener, container back yard apartment gardener more specifically. Between the constraints of weather and appropriate and allowable yard use, timing is everything - and a delicate dance. Still havent mastered it yet, but have learned a lot lol . Just happened to stumble onto your channel, and am encouraged ❤ Thank you 😊
Here in San Antonio, TX, our weather is extremely unpredictable this time of year. Here we are nearing the end of December, and our daytime temps are in the 70s, nights in the 60s. I potted up my late tomato and pepper plants and put them in the greenhouse for the random nights it gets below 50°, and they're still putting on fruit. It's frustrating because it's actually a tad too warm for my brassicas. We don't typically get into freezing temps until Jan/Feb...and it's only for a day or two...not typically more than a week. All that being said, we don't really have the cold weather needed for winter crops, and I actually use shade clothes over my broccoli and cauliflower. Same in the summer when we get above 100°. I have a carport frame I built over my 20x30 garden and use a 50% shade cloth from April/May-Sep/Oct! CRAZY! I KNOW! I also garden in raised beds because we live on a hill, and have nothing but solid limestone 6" under the topsoil. But for those of you in my area that feel discouraged about our hot summers and mild winters, rest assured, you CAN have a productive garden. I only planted about 8 Roma tomato plants in the spring and had more tomatoes than I knew what to do with! And that's with one of our hottest summers on record! Sorry for the lengthy comment, I hope it helps!
Great video and great info. I always start seeds inside way early. I currently have tomato and strawberry seeds going. And soon we'll start some herbs and flowers. But I have to admit it never occurred to me to get my cold hardy stuff going early outside. I don't know why but I just never thought of it. I have tents for my raised beds just like you with PVC and plastic covers. It's been awesome for my carrots. They're growing so well. Anyway, just a shout out from North Texas. I am now subscriber and I'm looking forward to future videos.
I used to listen to the podcast with her and I think it was you too. I can’t remember. It was about 3 years ago. I knew nothing back then. Now I have a 3 year old food forest ready to start year 4 with vigor. Thank you. I’m in zone 7 upstate SC. The only person I really listen to on RU-vid is Paul gautchi. He makes it clear how hard and stupid people have been working at it. And how simple things can be when you simply just connect
I live in west central Indiana. I have grown the cool weather crops, including bok choy, all winter. I'm in the hills and hollers. Much dif climate than flatlands. I packed tires with dirt for solar mass, then filled middle with compost. I replanted on any warm day, even in January.
Washington State, Southwest section on Ocean temps high summers 68- 75 and cold winter some days 28 - mostly 35-47 last frost should by Jan 30 - Feb 15th.
Just found your channel and already appreciate your laid back common sense style. I'm in high desert Central Oregon. Our last frost date is mid June, first frost date is mid Sep, but we can have sudden overnight frosts year round. Makes gardening a bit difficult. I did find a volunteer spinach one year, mid-Feb, ground totally frozen. It was about 3"-4" tall, perky, and the most beautiful, luscious green. I think I'm going to experiment seeding some cool crops indoors on the 1st, plant them out in March with🤞.
I’m in Michigan! Excited to get started with your advice this year. Last year I started my seeds in April indoors but I planted lettuces outdoors in March. It took a while for them to start but I had a beautiful crop early! Gonna experiment more this year.
I’m in central Kentucky and have moved all over the US. When I lived in Seattle I started my seeds around Feb 18. I currently have started lettuce seeds indoors and have been growing micro greens in the living room for my wife to put in salads. I’ll start other seeds in Feb as well. I have to build up the soil by using winter rye and wood chips. Rabbits or my chickens ate the buck wheat I had planted. Waiting on the compost pile to do its thing to use later in the spring. With the price of fresh veggies I hope to save $$ and possibly have small veggie stand by the road. We’ll see how it goes. Could take me a few years to have everything up and running.
Hi Ben, Panhandle of Florida here. 1.5 acres with animal manure for fertilizer. Brassicas are doing great now, love my Fall and Winter gardening, Spring is pretty exciting also but Summer is a whole different garden with the heat like last year. 🥵. Learning to plant in secession to get more in cooler temps. Thank you for your wisdom and sharing experience. Look forward to following you.
I live in GA. Our last frost date was March 6, but we had another frost a week later. I'm always prepared to cover for a surprise freeze. We have worn coats in May! 20:07 20:07
Hi Ben I'm in north west Pennsylvania iv got a 2ak market garden with a 48x 30 green house. First year with that. Its goin to be a game changer. Super excited. Ty for the info.
Ill start seeds for cool weather vegs about Jan 15 here in upstate SC.. sorry bad math about now I should start cool weather seeds.. But TY for your warming soil tips! I need to get a cold frame and hoop some beds!
I'm in SW Washington state. On a friend's suggestion, when I went rural property shopping, I kept a compass in the glove compartment. Half way up a ridge, about 900' in the foothills of the Cascades, but.. I enjoy a sweet, open, SW exposure. Makes all of the difference in what I can grow.
In Minnesota started my hot peppers last week, haven’t been able to grow habaneros started them February last year and almost got some. This year I’m going to get habaneros and tons of jalapeños as I was getting them in July last summer
I am from MA, and I absolutely start my cool weather crops way too late. I'm actually in quite the mood to experiment and push it this year to get some if not most of my plants started early this year. I have rolls of landscaping fabric and agricultural plastic to help push the boundaries as much as I can. Once it hits mid March here the sun angle becomes pretty decent and I may be planning the construction of a new greenhouse, weather permitting!
I'm in MA too. Depending on how the weather goes, I start my the end of January to mid February. @christophergetchell6490 if you can get a regular greenhouse up, those inexpensive green ones will do in a pinch. Just make sure it's against a wall and very well anchored (doesn't take much wind fir them to become airborne). Tje covering holds up pretty well for a couple of years (last had mine for 3 years], the structural bars on the other hand leave a bit to desire as the get bent too easily. I have had the 4 tiered shelving as well as the bigger, walking lean-to type. Loved the lean-to.
If you can't plant... LEARN 😊 I love taking December and January to just sit back relax and immerse myself in all of the gardening knowledge. Then when it's time I'm all ready to go mentally and physically 😁
I'm in southern Minnesota and this winter has been really mild. Like occassional 40s overnight and not below 22 so far kind of freaky mild. We have a kale that is still putting out new leaves! Absolutely incredible. I'm here for the weird. I plant based on projected temps rather than calendar. Awesome tip for timeanddate's web resources. Keep up the great information sharing, bro.
I just found your channel, I think I'm going to enjoy it! I'm in Mid-Missouri area. Our first frost date is typically the second to third week of april. I like to push it out till April 20th to be safe. I will be starting seeds beginning of February just in case our last frost comes early, I'll be prepared to put into soil
northern MN and I think our last frost date is May 22(granted we can get late May blizzards)so 4 weeks before is when we start getting ready so leaving April is cold hardy corps direct seed
I'm in AZ, last frost date according to data should be May 10th, but we are down in a hole, neighbors are up on hills, so we typically are around 10 degrees colder for us than our neighbors about a quarter mile away. We have a micro-climate that changes things for us. I do use row covers, helps a lot!
Soil temp and not last frost date is the key to planting date for “warm season” veggies (ie. tomatoes peppers etc). My last frost date is April 1st but will not plant the above for another 3ish weeks, depending on weather. A black landscape fabric helps warm up the soil
I moved from Iowa where we planted on mother's day every year and it worked beautifully. I did not know about gardening. I thought I did because we basically had gold dirt and it always produced amazing. I am in my first year of living 2 hours west of Fort Worth, TX and my garden was a massive learning experience because I made the mistake of planting around mother's day 😂 I did what I knew. Now that I have spent this year researching, "failing" (aka learning), and taking notes on everything, I know my start date it April 2nd, which gives me the opportunity to start my seeds starting in February and working my way towards my plant out date. I have a plan and many notebooks to record it all and to keep learning this year!
I live in Raleigh. I use what are essentially low tunnels and have a small greenhouse (7x9). Right now we have carrots up about 5”, sugar snaps are up 8”, onions and garlic are about 25” tall, russet and red skin potatoes are up. My cauliflower and broccoli were started early and nearly ready to head. I will start seeds in mid February.
Besides that, they are screwing with the zoning again and now have a "new map". b.s. In 5 years when the weather cycles again they will be redrawing another one. You are so right, knowing your immediate area is the only way to plant. Well done.
Six weeks from last frost date. April 16 is in general for Southwest Arkansas. I can start my cabbage,kale,peas, lettuce, and chard. In March direct sow. There are some stuff I can plant in the last week of February some years. We usually don't get snow until January and February. So it truly you have to watch what the weatther is doing the year you want to plant.
Living in the mountains in Tennessee. I love the three season Garden here. 😊 Originally Farm country in New York I put up Hoops over my kale and went out with a snow shovel in the winter to pick fresh kale for my dinner. 😮
Northern East Michigan... I usually start my seeds around the first week of March. Our last frost day is usually June 1st... But I like to live life on the edge so I usually plant around mother's day 😊
My last frost date is May 15th here in Virginia. With a low tunnel and black woven weed cloth I am able to start tomatoes and peppers indoors around the end of February.
I'm on the Gulf Coast in Louisiana. My last frost date is March 13-15. We start seeds around Twelfth Night (Jan 6). We planted onion, garlic, collards, carrots, mustard, radish, turnips, tatsoi, and spinach a few days ago, Dec 20. We will start more seeds Feb, sometime before Valentine's Day, more around March 15, more again April 15 and the last one's for summer will be before Mother's Day, when we paint the heat and drought tolerant plants. We won't seed start again until mid-late August. Then again around the 20th of Sept., another set a month later, and the freeze/frost tolerant plants and bulbs just before Thanksgiving . We do not seed start in June, July, or December.
Up in SE Nebraska. I can start onions in January, followed by Brussels sprouts and cabbages. February will start kale and collards. My neighbor told me I was nuts for planting in mid/late march. Nobody in my area plants until May. I realized they're "summer" gardeners, lol!!! Thanks for the help!!!
I can garden all year long but I sent your video to my daughter in Winnipeg. She has just started gardening up there and is concerned about the short summer. This video will be of help.
@@sandybottomhomestead I’m building the playlist more for people starting so they do not have to hunt and search constantly. Also helps the algorithms direct viewers to content with value. I always planted and let plants do their own thing sewing directly in soil. This year I finally decided to do some seed starting in the greenhouse. If you’re in a longer season climate I think direct sewing makes stronger perennials. I add videos that exist when I research for helpful content. I went mostly the short format on my channel but watch alot of long format content. I feel the playlist is as important as anything I myself will create. It also recognizes people who have taken the effort to create beneficial content. Thanks again
My local university has the same sow dates, but when I tried them it failed. They're maybe 20 miles north of us, and we're 10 degrees hotter. The brassicas started great. But once they had true leaves, I struggled to keep them watered in 120 weather, even tho I put them on the sunrise side of the house. Then it was peak season for the moths and I had to battle the worms. After that, I learned to wait until after the middle of Sept to start brassicas. They get a slower start, but they also establish their roots well as they wait for the longer days of Feb to take off growing above ground.
Last year I put up a 24X29 welded double cattle panel hoop house for less than a grand. What a game changer being able to plant tomatoes and peppers in April in stead of June. 120 miles north of Kalamazoo in 5A it's still a learning curve but getting it dialed in and the rabbits love the shelter during the coldest weather.
I am in northwestern Texas my last frost day is between March 22 and March 30. New to your channel, your garden looks great. My spring/summer garden didn't make it, it was so hot and it just scorched everything including our grass. My poor chickens were panting like dogs to stay cool. Pray this next year is a better growing season.
Your zone is for what perennial or bi annual plants will survive your winter under certain extreme temps. and cool season annual as well , such as flowers. For instance a orange tree wont survive northern climate. I can't grow anything through winter..without total protecting. I start seedlings in late summer plant out, they establish roots, in the early spring they take off and I harvest a lot earlier, flowers too. Check out Lisa Mason Ziegler's cool flowers! God bless y'all❤
I can tell you live in the area I do. I was just looking up about brussel sprouts here so I'm glad I saw this. Now to get the nutrients I need for this 'soil.'
Protection makes a big difference! I also live where the dates are pretty variable depending on what part of town you live in (Albuquerque, New Mexico). I have found that planting peas around Valentine's Day and tomatoes around Cinco de Mayo are pretty safe bets. Some can get tomatoes out earlier with walls of water. But those local guidelines help to set a timeline for other similar crops.
Omaha Nebraska here. Been starting seeds indoor since 2013. Last freeze is usually April 16th-ish and can plant tomatoes and peppers usually first week of May. I used to start everything, including brassicas, lettuce, onions the second week of February. However, I decided to start onions, celery, brassicas, and all my hot peppers on January 1st this year, as they all take a long time to get going or need to be more mature by last freeze. I could have probably started onions around Thanksgiving in all truth. Over time I've started earlier and this year may start tomatoes and sweet peppers the third week of January.
I'm in Canon Ga ( northeast GA) . I'm kinda new to gardening. I planted tomatoes and they got frosted 3 times this year before I finally got a break and grew 14 plants of various varieties and was giving them away when the started producing. I hope I learned my lesson and be patient. Patience is no my best attribute.
Love that website. This year, I grew the biggest trees by starting early over my time of growing. Everyone doubted and said it was too early. Only bad part was I didn’t realize how much food it takes when you start early to sustain the growth. This year going to be better if this food source works. I plan to change it with you. I understand where you’re coming from. Some of us thrive when they say we can’t do it.
