How soon should I start seeds outside? Now, February 28, or March 7?
It would be nice if the flowers bloom before the weather gets hot.

Dora

On 22 Feb 2003 06:07:39 -0800, (Dora Smith) wrote:

How soon should I start seeds outside? Now, February 28, or March 7?
It would be nice if the flowers bloom before the weather gets hot.

Dora

In a word, no. But you can start certain things now. I have perennials started
in my greenhouse, but it won't be time to move them out till at least March 15,
actually the end of March would be the safest bet. We can get a late, killing
freeze as late as April.

Calendula
stock
snapdragons
sweet peas
lettuce
onion sets can go in

Last average freeze date for the Austin area is around Texas Independance
day -- March 2! Depending on what you plant, it should just take light
protection as the seeds probably won't germinate for a week or more due to
soil temperature.

"animaux" wrote in message
...
On 22 Feb 2003 06:07:39 -0800, (Dora Smith) wrote:

How soon should I start seeds outside? Now, February 28, or March 7?
It would be nice if the flowers bloom before the weather gets hot.

Dora

In a word, no. But you can start certain things now. I have perennials
started
in my greenhouse, but it won't be time to move them out till at least
March 15,
actually the end of March would be the safest bet. We can get a late,
killing
freeze as late as April.

Calendula
stock
snapdragons
sweet peas
lettuce
onion sets can go in

Out of curiosity, where did you get March 2 as our average last frost date?


On Sun, 23 Feb 2003 01:31:33 -0800, "Robbin" wrote:

Last average freeze date for the Austin area is around Texas Independance
day -- March 2! Depending on what you plant, it should just take light
protection as the seeds probably won't germinate for a week or more due to
soil temperature.

"animaux" wrote in message
.. .
On 22 Feb 2003 06:07:39 -0800, (Dora Smith) wrote:

How soon should I start seeds outside? Now, February 28, or March 7?
It would be nice if the flowers bloom before the weather gets hot.

Dora

In a word, no. But you can start certain things now. I have perennials
started
in my greenhouse, but it won't be time to move them out till at least
March 15,
actually the end of March would be the safest bet. We can get a late,
killing
freeze as late as April.

Calendula
stock
snapdragons
sweet peas
lettuce
onion sets can go in

Actually it is the date that I have heard for Austin for many (like 20)
years now. I just did some looking and found frost maps on the web at
http://www.houstongardening.info/freeze.htm. This map indicates a slightly
later date. However, according to a site on McKinney Falls park located at
http://areas.wildernet.com/pages/are...SPMCKI&CU_ID=1 March 2 is
the last average freeze at the park. The last freeze date is definately
variable depending on where you live in the Austin area. However, with the
city staying slightly warmer due to all of the concrete, I believe that the
2nd is probably pretty close for the central Austin area. My guess is that
the weather records from Mueller Airport would support this, although I
cannot find them in the proper format to confirm this.


"animaux" wrote in message
...
Out of curiosity, where did you get March 2 as our average last frost
date?


On Sun, 23 Feb 2003 01:31:33 -0800, "Robbin" wrote:

Last average freeze date for the Austin area is around Texas Independance
day -- March 2! Depending on what you plant, it should just take light
protection as the seeds probably won't germinate for a week or more due
to
soil temperature.

"animaux" wrote in message
.. .
On 22 Feb 2003 06:07:39 -0800, (Dora Smith)
wrote:

How soon should I start seeds outside? Now, February 28, or March 7?
It would be nice if the flowers bloom before the weather gets hot.

Dora

In a word, no. But you can start certain things now. I have
perennials
started
in my greenhouse, but it won't be time to move them out till at least
March 15,
actually the end of March would be the safest bet. We can get a late,
killing
freeze as late as April.

Calendula
stock
snapdragons
sweet peas
lettuce
onion sets can go in

"Dora Smith" wrote in message
om...
| How soon should I start seeds outside? Now, February 28, or March
7?
| It would be nice if the flowers bloom before the weather gets hot.
|
| Dora

Don't forget nasturtiums. They almost always germinate and are
immediately recognizable to the novice (round lily-pad leaves). The
climbing or trailing ones are good for a change, especially in hanging
baskets or windowboxes. They tend to shrivel up in the first heat so
they should be planted now. By judiciously moving pots around, we've
kept some from last year blooming through the winter. Nasturtiums, if
they form seeds, will volunteer and be true.

In article ,
wrote:

Out of curiosity, where did you get March 2 as our average last frost date?



I am not the person who posted the original freeze date but the booklet
put out by the Travis County Master Gardner Association : Guide to
Gardening in Austin and Vicinity supports this (page 6). It states
average last spring freeze is March 3. Other general infomation since I
have it handy:

Average first Fall freeze is November 28. Altitude 400 to 1300 feet above
sea level (Average is 630 feet within Austin). Rainfall average
33.78"/year. AHS heat zone 9 (#of days 88 F range from 120-180). USDA
Hardiness Zone 8b (average lowest temperature 10-20 degrees). Growing
season 270 days.

Of course your original advice of mid to late March is probably safest
because the average conceals the outliers. I was germinating Mexican
Sunflower on my porch and awoke today to find all the leaves curled from
the huge temperature swing from yesterday to today (I had not bothered to
check the forecast).

Roland

On Mon, 24 Feb 2003 16:35:56 -0600, (Joe Doe) wrote:

(...)

Of course your original advice of mid to late March is probably safest
because the average conceals the outliers. I was germinating Mexican
Sunflower on my porch and awoke today to find all the leaves curled from
the huge temperature swing from yesterday to today (I had not bothered to
check the forecast).

Roland

Thanks, Roland. I appreciate the sources. I always thought it was March 15,
then again I just now realized I was living up in Dallas, USDA Zone 7b. We are
a full cold hardiness zone higher.

Yesterday we were out cleaning out the pond, dividing tons and tons of plants,
and I was cooing over the seedlings of the poppies and all the other wildflowers
which re-seed.

Now we have a rather nice inch of sn-ice! Texas.

I did get many seeds planted today in my kitchen where it was warm. I traded
for several varieties of Phormium tenax and some other non-native, but treasured
beauties. Where I will plant them is as good a guess as I could ever have

I hope this is the last of this cold. I'm almost ready to up and move to S.
Florida.

V

Thanks to all who wrote - I never expected this response!

Actually what you wrote corresponds to my experience and common sense, so I
started my seeds outside in pie pans and a milk carton.

Last night and tonight they are in the garage. Some of my other plants are
covered.

Last frost has been March 2 or first weekend in March last two years
straight. I remember vividly how many times I had to bring in all the
plants I planted on Valentine's day in their big pots and window boxes - two
years running! Last year, I had to bring them in EVERY single weekend for
the next three weekends.

Anyone want to place bets on when last frost is this year? Tee-hee-hee.

Or on if there will be spring flowers, since most of them bloomed in
January.

I think nasturtiums are those orange-red things that I tried out one year
back in Buffalo and hate.

Snice was a nice touch for Austin version of snow.

Yours,
Dora

"Dora Smith" wrote in message
om...
How soon should I start seeds outside? Now, February 28, or March 7?
It would be nice if the flowers bloom before the weather gets hot.

Dora