THE GROUND IS TOO COLD TO PLANT TOMATOES IN CENTRAL NC RIGHT NOW. PLEASE RESIST THE URGE! Plant them in containers and transplant in a few weeks (or a month) when the soil actually gets to the appropriate temperate!
We go through this EVERY SINGLE YEAR… the stores start selling tender, warm loving plants like tomatoes and peppers and everyone goes into a tizzy buying and planting them WAY TOO EARLY. This year is no exception. But we have have record breaking interest in gardening so it is MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER THAT PEOPLE HAVE SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENCES!
Today’s Public Service Gardening Announcement for people living in Zones 4-7 is simple: “STOP! WAIT UNTIL THE SOIL WARMS UP BEFORE PLANTING SUMMER CROPS!” Seriously, plant broccoli, cauliflower, salad greens NOW and wait a few more weeks before getting your summer crops planted! I am writing this in all caps to indicate that this is important! And yes, I am shouting a little because it is frustrating to see people make the same stupid, easy-to-avoid mistakes year after year!
COOL SOIL TEMPERATURES AFFECT TOMATO PLANTS NEGATIVELY
When warm season crops like tomato, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, melons, etc have “cold feet,” they struggle to put on any new growth, even with warm air temperatures. In cold soils, vegetables will develop a purple cast to their leaves. This is a a result of a phosphorus deficiency because the roots cannot absorb it until the soil temperatures warm up. Phosphorus is important for root growth and establishing transplants in prepared soils .
Adding more phosphorus to the soil doesn’t help. Only warm soil temperatures will allow the plants to grow appropriately!
If you want harvests like this WAIT TO PLANT YOUR TOMATOES UNTIL THE SOIL IS WARM!
PLEASE take my expert advice and save yourself some heartache. It is just the beginning of April. Now is the time to get one last round of cool season veggies planted for harvesting in a few weeks time.
Wait a few more weeks before planting your summer crops.
Yes, the weather has been warm, but the soil is still cold!
I have been growing tomatoes in the Raleigh, NC zone 7 area for 18 years. I want to HELP YOU BE SUCCESSFUL, so you can learn from my mistakes instead of making them yourself!
Featured in Country Gardens Magazine in 2015 for growing tomatoes and throwing a party!