Well, I'm NOT a lazy gardener, but I do buy a 6-pak now and then!
I make a great attempt at growing from seed, then end up buying from an organic local place that has much better luck than I do!
I have not had a shortage of any plants due to being on line with local gardens, seed exchanges etc.
Happy Gardening! Nancy

I'm in Z5 and our last frost has passed. That must be a strange Z6 you're in. Nonetheless, greenhouses plant their stock last summer. This spring didn't have anything to do with their planning, save for where they shipped different stock on demand. Lots of demand this spring. Easier to sow your own so you don't have any issues with what you want.

Dan

Apologies, by "lazy gardener" I'm referring to people who buy leaf lettuce in six packs. Always amazed me, what's easier to grow than lettuce in a six pack saved from last year?

I've been gardening for over 40 years and now only grow from seed the things I can't buy locally, e.g. the San Marzanos mentioned previously. HISTORICALLY speaking, the week before memorial day was when most veggies and bedding plants were purchased. This year, there's almost nothing left and we're just getting into that week? Hence, my question as to shortage of plants "this early."

I've attached a link which indicates that the last frost date for this zip code is today, May 21. Apologies again, May is getting away from me, thought it was earlier in the month. Dan one of us is in a "micro climate" if you're in Zone 5 and your last frost date has passed and here in zone 6 it's today....:-)

Last year, the week before Memorial day, the boss and I went to three greenhouses and returned with a ton of bedding plants for her flower beds, peppers, sweet potatoes, etc. for the garden and this year there's almost nothing.

My question was and is, Is the weird weather doing anything with plant availability.

Ev

Here is a link that might be useful: last frost my zip code

It might be if you're buying from a selling lot who orders plants in from somewhere else. Nobody wants to be stuck with a huge inventory of perishables and bedding flowers and vegetables are just that.

No, growers don't plant their inventory the summer before. At least not not the major part of it, they do, however, order their seed in that early.

You cannot aniticipate what a spring is going to be like, long range......so most growers didn't hold back planting because it was rainy. There may have been some 'holding back' on speculation because of the economy, but I suspect this has more to do with whomever orders plants in than what is going on in greenhouses. I am a wholesaler and I know that if we have a nasty and prolonged weather problem from a month before last frost to a week after mother's day, lots of folks at the retail level just don't bother because they don't know when they'll get them in the ground. We are still awaiting getting our vegetables out in the garden plots, but it's too soggy to till and work the soil, and the forecast says we'll have two sunny days and then the rains start again. Our farmers only have about 30% of their major food crops in and it's anybody's guess how many cuttings we'll get off hay this year. It's not looking good and perhaps just one. Expect food prices to just absolutely soar, folks.

Exmar, you are ~in the same zone I am according to your link. We have fam with farm in Cumberland area and they are slightly warmer than us (Sunset 35 vs our 2b) and generally get about 2 weeks more growing season.

Our last frost was weeks ago, but we had several hours at 33F and snow on the 10th, which had similar effect. My warm season seeds were planted the day after the snow (but this is Colo and we get tremendous sun to warm soil). That is: one can watch the weather and see if frost is coming, one needn't watch the Almanac or a web site.

And again, the plant availability isn't from the weather.

Dan

No offense taken! LOL
I'm very happy to have found a little organic GMO free tiny nursery run by 2 sisters who have grown all the plants and saved the seeds for what they sell.
They even have an honor system, so if they aren't there, you can take what you want and put either a check or cash into a slot in the wall!
I LOVE Sonoma County! Nancy

I wonder if it is a matter of the plants coming in slowly, or going out faster than you realize?

My small local nursery source said far more people are buying veggie plants than most years, more than the flowering plants. I think people are scared about what is to come. There are more places with a few chickens running around, more places with a few cows, sheep or goats than there used to be, more garden beds being prepared.

Sue

I agree with Sue. IF there is a shortage of plants, I suspect it is because more people are planting food crops this year. It doesn't take an economist to figure out that high gas prices, floods where farmers live, and other natural disasters are going to mean higher food prices for us all this year.

My heart breaks for the folks in the Mississippi Delta (the poorest counties in the country, I am told). Very many of them depend on their gardens to feed their families and they cannot expect the flood waters to recede until mid summer. Who knows when the ground will be dry enough to work? I am taking the best care of my garden I can this year in the hopes that I will have plenty to share. Our church is sending groups of workers to help every week.

Here in Bonnie country, the stores are bursting with vegetable plants... and selling like hotcakes, too. But vegetable gardening is always very popular here.

I'm still thinking about chickens. I don't eat that many eggs but they are $5 a dozen for good local eggs from a farmer here. Ouch!

My experience with veggie starts at the local stores is that there are very few varieties, and none of them are very interesting.

I can not put out tender plants for another month, so I am just now starting my peppers and tomatoes indoors. In SE Ohio, if you pick fast ripening varieties, you should be able to put seeds into pots now and have plenty of time to harvest.

I'm going to plant some squash, pumpkins, and melons in seed pots this afternoon. My tomato starts are just coming up. You should have a longer season in the fall than I do, so get to planting.

Alabamanicole, I have six free-range hens (no rooster) and my girls have been laying 5-6 eggs a day since early November. Their coop is 4x4x4', about 3' off the ground for ease of cleaning, lined with clean straw.

My local feed store carries regular dozen-count egg cartons for 29 cents each. I cut them in half with a serrated knife and sell them to select neighbors for $2 each (except the lady fighting cancer, for her they're free). That's $4/dozen, and that pays for the feed quite quickly.

And I have more than enough eggs for my needs.

Sue

I found some nice plants at Lowe's, flowers and vegetables. Also, some great deals on the clearance racks :)

Thanks for the info, Sue. By the time I build Ft. Knox and adopt & feed two large dogs to scare off the varmits I'm not sure I'd come out ahead. :)

So I keep *thinking* about it.

Exmar -

Our first regular farmer's market is supposed to be this Wednesday and I know a couple of those folks will have starter plants to sell. Maybe you have a local farmer's market with similar availability?

As far as Calliope's forecast goes, I think a lot of people are thinking the same thing. I know that our costs have been going steadily up. I've been busily clearing out some room in our big freezer with the intent that I will use this year's veggie crop to restock tomato sauce, frozen green beans, etc. for the coming year.