Good thing I didn't plant those tomatoes after all!

[gimmethesimplelife]

I've been kicking myself lately for not planting tomatoes this year and it turns out it's a good thing that I didn't. Talk about weird freaky weather - mind you I live in Phoenix, and strings of years go by without a hard freeze. This year we have already had one morning down to 30F and another down to 32F. Tommorow the high and low are supposed to be 47/35, and the next two mornings after that down to 31F and 32F! Not that I have any right to complain, it's just very weird weather for Phoenix is all. Rob

[Rosemary]

I used to plant everything around the 3rd week of February when we lived in Tucson (a little cooler than Phx). Sometimes I would have to cover things for a night or two, but I never lost anything to frost.

While I often exerienced frosty January mornings in Phx / Tucson, a high temp of 47 is indeed unusual! However, we had a low temp of 19 one morning in Tucson. It killed the eggplant that had overwintered for 3 years!

[Hattie]

Wow, as I look at all the snow outside, it is hard to imagine there are places that can even consider planting outside. *S* Hubby and I have a greenhouse and we will be planting some of our veggies this week - but not tomatoes because even in our greenhouse, it is still to cold for them.

[ljevtich]

Yup here in Vegas, we had another freeze, and tonight is going down to 30 as well. We had a few freeze nights in January too. The weather is going crazy in most of the USA. Because we are in an RV that is mostly a 3 season RV. So right now in the rig it is a brisk 59 degrees. But we are wearing coats and hats rather than turning up the heat.

[pinkytoe]

Central Texas here - It was near 80 degrees on Monday and I had planted a few cold weather things and seeds this past weekend. It is now around 22 and going down to 15 tonight so I guess I got too eager. It just doesn't get that cold here except every 20 years or so.

[ApatheticNoMore]

Um, you are aware that tomatoes are supposed to be an annual, right? Yes I've seen them overwinter sometimes too (even sometimes for years), but I don't expect it.

But it really does sound early to plant this years crop, seems best to wait until at least March (as it says in Southern California here). I did plant leafy greens, but they are cool weather crops.

[Gregg]

Nebraska here. We skirted the big blizzard with only about 6" of snow, but it was -11* this morning with wind chills approaching -50*. I'm ready for tomato planting weather!

[RosieTR]

I feel less guilty for not getting around to tomatoes too. I thought about putting out our indoor basils and glad I waited. Supposedly the last average frost is Feb 15 or something, so best to wait til then anyway. The bougainvillas look very, very sad...we'll see if they pull through or not. I do totally feel like wuss walking the dogs in my down coat and wool socks, and seriously considering whether to add a balaclava!

[gimmethesimplelife]

I feel less guilty for not getting around to tomatoes too. I thought about putting out our indoor basils and glad I waited. Supposedly the last average frost is Feb 15 or something, so best to wait til then anyway. The bougainvillas look very, very sad...we'll see if they pull through or not. I do totally feel like wuss walking the dogs in my down coat and wool socks, and seriously considering whether to add a balaclava!I know, my bougainvilleas look extrememly sad too but I do remember during the hard freezes of January 2007 (it got down to 29F 2 mornings in a row) they looked just as bad so I cut them way back and they did come back in seemingly no time at all.

[Rosemary]

If you're going to get some more frosty nights there in AZ, throw an old sheet or towel over those tender plants. It makes a huge difference.

[Zzz]

Um, you are aware that tomatoes are supposed to be an annual, right? Yes I've seen them overwinter sometimes too (even sometimes for years), but I don't expect it.

But it really does sound early to plant this years crop, seems best to wait until at least March (as it says in Southern California here). I did plant leafy greens, but they are cool weather crops.

Actually, that is incorrect. Tomatoes are a perennial. However, in the cold climates that we have in most of the U.S. they do not survive the winters. If grown in a warm climate where it does not freeze, they are a perennial.

Edited to add: the same is true of pepper plants.