byc member from MA new to this site

[popcornpuppy]

Hi guys. I'm a long time user of byc and decided to checkout this site. I'm looking for gardening advice from folks in MA who are familiar with the various conditions in this area. We have had a killing freeze the past couple of nights and I'm not sure when to direct sow the seeds into my garden. I don't want to start my garden too late, and I don't want the cold nights to kill my seeds. When do you guys plant?
This is only our second year with a veggie garden so any thoughts, tips and advice would be apreciated. Thanks

 

[lesa]

Welcome! Welcome! Glad you stepped over! Do you know what zone you are in? I am guessing your last frost date if May 30. Not going to be too many things you can direct seed. You will need transplants for tomatoes, peppers, melons, etc. You can direct seed cool weather crops- swiss chard, cabbage, lettuce, etc. Remember, frost will not hurt seeds in the ground, it will hurt seedlings. So, you can probably get some seeds in this weekend and by the time they are up, you should be out of frost danger. Happy Gardening!

 

[popcornpuppy]

I think I'm in zone 6. Massachusetts has multiple zones. I also think my last frost is around May 12. But if you don't like the weather in New England, wait a minute and it will change!

 

[vfem]

You will love it hear, I promise, TEG weather is always perfect for growing something.

 

[Rosalind]

There's a few folks from the Bay State here. I'm right on the border between 7 and 6, and due to a lucky slope and trees that act as a windbreak, I'm more like 7.

You can plant everything out now--I put direct-sown melons and cukes out a few weeks ago, and after I mulched them in well with composted chicken manure they were fine. I have little sprouts now, which weren't bothered by the recent chill. Tomatoes, eggplants and peppers will need started seedlings, and I find it's better to set those out later than the seeds, but mine are already out in tubs on the patio.

Biggest problem in Massachusetts is amending the soil enough. We tend to have lousy soil, all clay and tiller-breaking rocks, not much topsoil. It takes phenomenal amounts of compost, manure, mulch, leaf mold, spoiled straw &c. to get the soil in decent shape around here.

Welcome!

 

[ducks4you]

! You really should add to THIS thread!
http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=23600

 

[simple life]

Hello, Welcome to the Easy Garden. I don't know which exact zone you are in but I am in 6a according to some of the frost charts I checked our last frost should have been either april 30 or may 3 and we just had not too bad frost on the 9th and a more severe frost on the 10th so I doubt we will have anymore.
Anything that I planned to direct sow is already done. You should go ahead and sow your seeds now.

Around here we plant our peas on Saint Patrick's day and I usually sow other cool weather crops not long after that.

I've already sown all the squash, melons, beans, carrots, corn, swiss chard, lettuce and spinach, some were a while ago and some more recently depending what they are and like Rosalind said the seedlings were unaffected by the frost.
In our area its always good to have some type of row cover or other materials on hand to cover your crops in case of a late frost.

Some people like to wait until the end of May and then buy all nursery starts from the garden center and that will work too but there are things I prefer to direct sow because most of the varieties I grow are not available at the garden centers.

Happy Planting.