Hey fellow Chicago area gardeners! I'm just venting here about the wild weather we've been having. I was all set to plant my vegetables last weekend, but then the forecast dropped us into the 40s overnight until at least May 29th. My seedlings were ready weeks ago, and now they're just sitting in pots. I'm seriously considering just planting them out there and hoping for the best. Maybe a frost blanket will help? How's everyone else dealing with this madness?
10 Answers
I went ahead and planted everything, including my peppers, a couple of weeks ago. Just keeping my fingers crossed! We'll see how it goes in the next few weeks, but yeah, this weather is a bummer for us gardeners.
This seems to be an issue everywhere! I was ready to plant my tomatoes up in Canada zone 3 weeks ago, but then it turned cold for two weeks. Finally, things are stabilizing, and I’m putting my first tomatoes in the ground tonight!
I planted my warm-season veggies last weekend but covered them with frost cloth as a precaution. I really hope the weather warms up soon because I don't want to lose my tomatoes and peppers!
All my tomatoes have been fine outside this past week. Thankfully, I didn't plant my peppers out yet, so I could move them in if needed. I plan to let them get some sun during the day but will take them inside at night to avoid the dips in temperature!
Same here! I usually plant too early and can never get it right. I managed to wait until just after Mother's Day this time and bought a lot of starts. I thought I was in the clear with all these mild lows in the forecast, but of course, it dropped again! Can't win here!
I remember living in Chicago and May always being the cruelest month! I once planted tomatoes the third week of May, and it actually snowed almost an inch a couple of days later!
In 2013, I had a similar experience in Iowa. We had a late frost too, but my plants survived! Just crazy!
I planted seeds and some established plants around Mother's Day, and while most of my seeds are sprouting, I'm heading to the farmer's market today for some plants for my garden bed!
I'm hoping my plants can survive in their containers for another week or so. They seem fine for now, and my tomatoes are in pretty good-sized pots. I just don't want them to get root-bound!
Exactly, that's where I'm at too. My tomatoes are in decent pots, so I hope they're okay! Plus, my sweet alyssum is starting to flower in my garage!
This weather has been perfect for spinach, lettuce, radishes, and arugula! If you're thinking ahead, you can grow a ton of these greens early, which opens up space for warm-season veggies later. I've planted tomatoes but holding off on peppers for now. It's pretty crazy out here!
Yep, my romaine is growing like crazy! Carrots seem okay too! 🙂
I planted almost all of my tomatoes except for one, and it's starting to bud in the pot, making me feel like I need to get it into the ground asap! I have a feeling this year's crop of peppers, tomatoes, and eggplants might not be great, either from the cold or being stuck in pots too long. But on the bright side, my late-planted cold weather crops are thriving!
Isn't it okay to nip the buds and let it keep growing for a bit?
Yeah, I'm in the same boat! Nipped some buds last night and finally calling it—everything's going in the ground this weekend!
Funny enough, we're considering a move to the Carolinas because after 40+ years of this, I'm fed up with the weather!