# OK Experts is Winter Freezes Over?



## Johnny9 (Sep 7, 2005)

Going for my tomatoe plants today. Usually plant around March 1 but I can wait a week or so with the kind of suprises we have been having.


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

No way where I'm at. There's been a frost the last two years in a row in April up here. I'm gonna hold tight. 
I'm planting or planning to plant on Easter. Any frost will stun the plants & you might as well pull them up. 
This year I'm gonna hand cuff my hands & wait till the right time to plant. I plant to early & my yield is cut big time. Not this year. Nothing goes in till the dirt is the right temp. I'm tired of replanting seeds 3 or 4 times. Not this year.
Ever crop is going in when its right time to plant. Not all at once. 
I know ML does this & I'm following his lead. 
Peas go in when its their time to go in. Melons the same & so on.


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## Pivo and kolache (Mar 13, 2014)

If following a similar time frame to rb as we had some really late cold weather the last couple years


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Juan, 

I can't seem to find my picture of the 3 inch snowfall we had several years back on April 15. Easy to remember tax day. 

For the last several years, we've had an early April cold snap which has damaged unprotected tomatoes. 

If you can give them protection, and are willing to do so, then you might make it in early March...but its a lot of work and one slip up and you've lost them. 

I have plants growing right now in trays that I can easily move in and out as the weather dictates...but they won't go in the ground until I'm convinced its time. 

On the other hand, this is spectacular growing weather for onions, potatoes, broc, cabbage, turnips, carrots, beets, brussel, kohlrabi, kale, etc. and I have a garden full of them.


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## devil1824 (Sep 4, 2010)

I didn't read all the post, but around here, never plant until after Easter. I really don't do any major gardening anyway so it's easy for me to stick to that.


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## Cody C (May 15, 2009)

Fingers crossed that we don't get a cold snap from Easter on. Decided to replant some pastures with grass. Planning on doing it over Easter. Little further south but still hope it's warm. Grass seed hurts...


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## Troutman123 (Mar 21, 2007)

*Easter*

NEVER before Easter


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Cody C said:


> . Grass seed hurts...
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


 If its Bahia, it won't germinate until May anyway and you will be safe.


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## Cody C (May 15, 2009)

Bermuda...


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## chuck leaman (Jul 15, 2004)

I am waiting a few more weeks before I plant tomatoes and peppers. Planted the first weekend in March last year and lost every plant to an ice storm and freeze and the 15th. I do have my cold weather early Spring stuff in like dwarf bok choi, onions,spinach, and turnips in.


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## old 37 (Nov 30, 2014)

Yes ,in Houston. I will plant this week!! Last year I had Tomatoes ripening in the first week of May.


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## captinharry (Dec 31, 2004)

*Depends*

I59s around sugarland I just measured 53* ground temp, my weather forecast is warmer night after this next sat, so will start to plant next week when ground temp gets closer to 60*, but if you are more north its going to be later.


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

There's no doubt you wanna plant maters as quick as you can to ensure the blossoms don't fall off & you get your best yield. But any frost on the plant will mean to pull the plant & replant that much I do know. Its a fricking gamble cause we all live in different areas. There's no real correct answer.


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## chuck leaman (Jul 15, 2004)

I had my maters in the ground around the first of March the last 20 years and last year was the year it caught up with me so I will wait a few more weeks. Replanting them sucked. I did loose some plants to a freeze in early April one year. Based on our Winter this year I think the folks that plant early this year will be fine.


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## Its Catchy (Apr 10, 2014)

Got down to 30 at my house in Friendswood this morning. Think I am waiting to the end of March to plant.


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Its Catchy said:


> Got down to 30 at my house in Friendswood this morning. Think I am waiting to the end of March to plant.


Yup! 27 here. Winter ain't over yet.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Its Catchy said:


> Got down to 30 at my house in Friendswood this morning. Think I am waiting to the end of March to plant.


 That's cold for south of Houston. Brrr.

It was sneaky cold last night here also. I thought the heavy cloud cover would moderate the temps...but it didn't.


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## Johnny9 (Sep 7, 2005)

Just saw on news ANOTHER ARTIC FRONT coming next week. Put you shovels away till Mid March maybe.


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## jm423 (Sep 18, 2011)

Old saying:"Thunder in January, freeze in April". We had a thundershower here in Jan. I'm (impatiently!) waiting. (Near Victoria)


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## trout250 (Aug 24, 2005)

got tomato plants about 2" high just put on their second set of leaves,pepper plants about half that size. Keeping them in shop under light and covered for a while then plant and wrap cages with frost cloth for frost and wind protection.
these are on the near n side of houston


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

trout250 said:


> got tomato plants about 2" high just put on their second set of leaves,pepper plants about half that size. Keeping them in shop under light and covered for a while then plant and wrap cages with frost cloth for frost and wind protection.
> these are on the near n side of houston


You should be good to go with those big plants when spring arrives. I'm gonna get a small green house this year some how. Either build it or buy it.


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## peckerwood (Jun 9, 2012)

A cat at work was talking about a greenhouse he saw on you-tube that was made out oh cattle panels.They were bent in half in an arch.Haven't looked it up yet 'cause we have a greenhouse,but sounds like a good idea.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

peckerwood said:


> A cat at work was talking about a greenhouse he saw on you-tube that was made out oh cattle panels.They were bent in half in an arch.Haven't looked it up yet 'cause we have a greenhouse,but sounds like a good idea.


 That does sound like a good idea...would love to see one.


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## peckerwood (Jun 9, 2012)

Cattle panel greenhouse,Youtube,by Sherwood Williams


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## fishjunky (Jun 4, 2009)

Cross yer fingers fellas, (at least south of I-10). I'm tentatively planning to take my plumeria out of the Ghouse next weekend. C'MON APRIL!!!!!

fj><)))'>--


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## Its Catchy (Apr 10, 2014)

It got down to 32 again at my house in Friendswood last night. I'm going to be patient for a week or two more.


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## tbone2374 (Feb 27, 2010)

One word.... NO ! I have a plastic platform built over mine(removable) 'til the frost, are gone.


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## Johnny9 (Sep 7, 2005)

27 this morning. Clover was looking real bad today.


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Right at freezing at the farm this AM. Looks like that front is history. Now, I can finally plant the rest of my taters. Kinda late but think I'm glad I staggered the planting of them. Will see. 
Gonna, have to hold back on planting spring crops. Gotta a feeling there will be another freeze that sneaks in, old man winter has been showing up later & later these days. Will see.


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## peckerwood (Jun 9, 2012)

I'm with you Mr.Back! Here it is March 7th,and there's still a patch of snow on my barn roof.Here in the far north,down the road from Texas Motor Speedway,March 1st has redbuds,fruit trees,daffodils,and those bushes with the dark pink blooms in full bloom.I haven't seen a wild plum in bloom yet.If anybody up here didn't get their tatters in Feb.14,no way is it too late,just way too muddy.Funny deal,my Grandpa planted his tatters the 14th.That day only.If for some reason he couldn't,it didn't happen.When he got old,it became Dads and my uncles,and us kids job too plant.The last time we plant his potatoes,it sleeted so hard and deep,one of us went ahead with a hoe and dug the sleet out of the way so we could see where the rows were.That was so long ago,I have no idea how that crop turned out.Soon as I get off here,I'm going to put on my milk boots,go down to the garden and see if my onions made it through this week of frozen he77.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Some observations on this winter in East Texas:

1) It was an early winter here...first freeze in early Nov. 

2) It has been a relatively mild winter...only had one front that forced me to shut down water pumps...and normally its several. 

3) It has been very wet...and that is very typical of mild winters in my experience.

4) I had more hay than I have ever had going into the winter and a neighbor that promised to buy 35 bales had some unexpected events which prevented him from buying hay from me. Right now, I probably have about 25 bales remaining...so I've fed more hay than I ever have before.

5) Will it end early or late? My signs are pointing towards at least a couple of weeks late...but time will tell. 

Potatoes have been in the ground about three weeks now. Onions have been in since Nov. and we have been enjoying fresh Kale, kohlrabi, cabbage, broc, brusssels, radishes, carrots, beets, and turnips all winter. 

Just now started today turning the cover crop under for the rows for this years tomatoes, beans, peppers, peas, corn, cucumbers, peas, and melons. 

Great to be out there digging in the dirt!


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Meadowlark said:


> Some observations on this winter in East Texas:
> 
> 1) It was an early winter here...first freeze in early Nov.
> 
> ...


I hear ya! I love playing in the dirt. I gotta plant more papas. Never planted this late. But I've been hesitant because of the weather. Gonna go ahead & plant them next week. Lark I got everything in place just waiting on the weather.


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