Since we have had a second freak snowfall with the return of winter temperatures, some gardeners have had a lesson in the importance of frost dates. These are handy little reminders of when to expect that your weather will stay in safe temperatures for frost tender annuals.
As a gardener, you often try to bend the rules, and that is good as long as the word “risk” is recalled at the same time. Some plants are better at accomodating temperture fluctuations than others, but on the whole if you have tomatoes or tropical climate annuals, it is better to wait even when the sun is shining and the earth seems so warm and friendly.
The Frost dates for Central Ohio are: 5/9 for spring and 10/3 for fall. This year, I wouldn’t be surprised if we hit the 10% error of margin on those. May Ninth is not that far away! But I will take my chances on that and go and buy some plants next week. If we wait too long in Central Ohio we risk the heat going way up and baking our poor little late planted hopefuls.
Gardening is more art than science at times…..
Curious about the frost dates in your neck of the woods?
Technorati Tags: Frost dates, planting annuals
