Questions on starting seedlings in the ground

[Heidi_H]

Hi,

I'm new to this forum but I have a TON of questions.

I live in zone 7a (central/northern Arizona, at 5200') but I have a greenhouse so I have already started a lot of my cold weather veggies, cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, etc. I have tried for years to grow these veggies and I never end up with anything, I usually end up getting them out to late in the season and they bolt this is why I'm asking these questions.

The ground isn't frozen and is actually workable and can be tilled right now. I was wondering if I were make a large, LARGE frame and use something like Green-Tek plastic over the frame that can be moved or opened could the plants be planted early? I know this Green-Tek plastic works great we have been using it for years on part of our greenhouse.

Also, if I were to do something like above, would it be a good idea or not to use black plastic on the soil? Would or could that cause the soil to heat to much and cause them to bolt?

I do realize it is too early right now to plant, none of my seedlings are even big enough. We are just now starting to get our back yard re-organized and re-landscaped and re are moving our garden area so I need to know what to plan for.

Thank you for any help you all can give me because I'm really hoping to be able to eat and freeze a large amount of these fresh veggies!

Heidi

 

[Beth_B]

Welcome.

I'm not that experienced with planting seeds directly but I'm sure you'll get answers from more knowledgeable folks.

 

[LIcenter]

With your altitude, and intense sun, I'm not sure many of us can help with your questions. Are you planting in an area with full sun exposure? If so, do you have any other areas that get a partial amount of sun, or maybe even dappled? If you do you might want to try a small section of it to test how your plantings fare there. Best I can come up with, sorry.
Fingers crossed someone from your beautiful state stops in and sees your query soon.

 

[Heidi_H]

With your altitude, and intense sun, I'm not sure many of us can help with your questions. Are you planting in an area with full sun exposure? If so, do you have any other areas that get a partial amount of sun, or maybe even dappled? If you do you might want to try a small section of it to test how your plantings fare there. Best I can come up with, sorry.
Fingers crossed someone from your beautiful state stops in and sees your query soon.

There is a little misconception about AZ, we are not all desert, lol. We actually have been getting snow this month. I'm about 90 north of Phoenix and 90 south of Flagstaff (roughly) so we get all 4 seasons here. Our highs in the summer get to about 90 and lately with with the storm that went through our lows were in in teens. We are starting to get back to normal, last night we got down to 28. I was incorrect about about my zone, I just looked it up, I'm 7b.

The area where I want to plant is all sunny, that is why I asked about a frame that is moveable but the nights still get cold, the reason I asked about the black plastic.

I'm just desperate for fresh veggies since this area has a short growing season.

Heidi

 

[Heidi_H]

Welcome.

I'm not that experienced with planting seeds directly but I'm sure you'll get answers from more knowledgeable folks.

Beth, Thank you for the welcome!

I have already started my seeds in my greenhouse and they have started growing, I'm asking questions for when they get bigger and need to be translated outside.

 

[Chuck]

Beth, Thank you for the welcome!

I have already started my seeds in my greenhouse and they have started growing, I'm asking questions for when they get bigger and need to be translated outside.

I planted my transplant seeds about 3 weeks ago and they are all up and growing. I take them outside on nice days and leave them inside on not so nice days. I will be putting them into the ground around the middle of March. I have tried the plastic row tunnels and they either blew away or the plants froze anyway. Planting in the ground too early is always a major gamble no matter what you do. Living where you do what I would do is lay black plastic where your rows will be and warm up the soil until danger of frost is passed and then plant in the plastic, and then remove the plastic when it starts to get too warm. I like to grow my transplants BIG in 4" pots. Most of the time the tomatoes have either buds or the beginning of them when transplanted

 

[Heidi_H]

Hi Chuck,

I have a lot of the 4" pots around that I also purchase off eBay and I will usually take the seedlings from the 6 packs and transfer them to the 4" if they get too big. I always start the tomato plants in the 4" and if necessary into larger pots that I have laying around. Right now my seedling have just emerged and only have their first set of leaves. I'm just trying to plan everything out.

 

[Beth_B]

There is a little misconception about AZ, we are not all desert, lol. We actually have been getting snow this month. I'm about 90 north of Phoenix and 90 south of Flagstaff (roughly) so we get all 4 seasons here. Our highs in the summer get to about 90 and lately with with the storm that went through our lows were in in teens. We are starting to get back to normal, last night we got down to 28. I was incorrect about about my zone, I just looked it up, I'm 7b.

The area where I want to plant is all sunny, that is why I asked about a frame that is moveable but the nights still get cold, the reason I asked about the black plastic.

I'm just desperate for fresh veggies since this area has a short growing season.

Heidi

Yes...I have friends who used to have a cabin in Strawberry.... Absolutely gorgeous area and gets its share of wintry weather!

Growing season is wicked short here...Since I have limited space to start seeds indoors, I mostly buy starter plants. We have some great garden centers here. When I plant from seed I do like Chuck pretty much...Start them in peat pots, harden off, then put in the ground when it's safe to do so.

 

[Chuck]

Hi Chuck,

I have a lot of the 4" pots around that I also purchase off eBay and I will usually take the seedlings from the 6 packs and transfer them to the 4" if they get too big. I always start the tomato plants in the 4" and if necessary into larger pots that I have laying around. Right now my seedling have just emerged and only have their first set of leaves. I'm just trying to plan everything out.

By putting down black plastic now you will save a lot of time. Tomatoes and peppers don't like cold soil and by laying it down now the soil will be a lot warmer than the surrounding soil when it comes time to transplant and the danger of freezing is over