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Northwestern Gardening

Plants or seeds at this time of year?

17 years ago

Hello! After 30+ years in the deserts of Arizona, I moved to Oregon and am starting my first NW garden this year (actually, we've been here for 4 years, but this is the first house that's had land enough to have a garden!).

I'm still getting used to the concept of "four seasons" -- something we did NOT have in Arizona. So, I'm not sure what to do right now in the vegetable garden. I bought a lot of seeds, but is there any advantage at this late date to starting them in the greenhouse and transplanting them later? Or should I just buy plants to transplant into my beds?

Of course, I realize I can't start all my veggies inside, but ones like lettuce, tomatoes, broccoli, etc.?

Any advice you can give me would be GREATLY appreciated (and if you ever move to the desert, I'll return the favor!)

Barbara (Salem, Oregon)

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Comments (4)

JudyWWW
17 years ago
Now is about as late as you want to wait to start tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants for setting out in late May or early June when night time temps do not fall below 50 and soil has warmed to 60. You can set them out earlier if you use wall of water or other protection. Tomatoes tolerate a little more coolness than peppers and eggplants. Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower can be started now also or direct sowed in April or later. Most people direct seed their lettuce and some people are already doing that in more sheltered areas of Portland. Of course the garden centers will also have lots of veggie starts but they generally offer the tomatoes and peppers way too early trying to temp us into buying them before it is really warm enough to plant them out. BEWARE OF THE SLUGS THEY WILL DESTROY YOUR LETTUCE AND DAMAGE EVERYTHING ELSE. If you are worried about toxicity there is iron based slug bait which is more expensive but not dangerous to domestic or wild critters.
There are two mail order seed companies which specialize in NW veggies Territorial Seeds and Nichols Garden Nursery (which is in your area) .... goggle them. jwww
scarleta
17 years ago
Last year I started my tomatoes in February in greenhouse and it was way too soon.This year I will plant them in Greenhouse in April.They grow fast and easier to handle smaller plants when you train them to go outdoors.I found that they were bigger but my tomatoes did not mature any sooner.I prefer seeds because I can choose the variety I want to grow and I grow things I can't buy in a store.My lettuce is sprouting in a greenhouse now at 7C and I started broad beans in the greenhouse ( planted March 6th) Of course these can go directly outdoors , but you will find them to grow faster if you start them indoors.Peppers and eggplant and cukes and zucchini go much later they need heat.Whatever works for you.Every year I learn something new and every year I make some mistakes.the weather we can not predict and the rain and winds.We get lots of it in BC maybe in your area is dryer and you can experiment.Good luck to you and happy gardening..
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JudyWWW
17 years ago
As you can see from this sample of 2 replies (so far) there are lots of ways to do it here and almost all of them work most years. It will take you a few seasons to figure out what works best for you. Salem does have warmer drier summers than Seattle and BC but the springs are very similar. A gardener in Salem can ripen sun loving plants more easily because of fewer cloudy days and slightly more heat. jwww
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17 years ago
I'm on Vancouver Island B.C. most people up our way start there Tomatoes Mar.15, I start mine usually start mine a month earlier. I start them in the house, take them out to the greenhouse the end of March, plant them out sometime in April under hot caps. I think Judy's right, it will probably take you a couple of seasons to figure out which is the best way for you. Experiment a little, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Happy gardening and welcome to the P.N.W. the greatest place on earth, IMHO.

A......

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