Hi Calliope, I know what you mean, but those plants that can be planted before frost date usually can take frost easily. My nasturtiums, e.g. went through a few snow falls last year with their beautiful leaves and flowers before they finally yielded. I agree that one must know his area well and know how to estimate (though we cannot be 100% accurate). For some annuals, I wait 2 weeks after our formal frost dates, then check the forecast for the next 10 days, and if it looks good I can plant them. For tender annuals, I might wait a little longer or start indoor. For half-hardy or hardy annuals, I can start earlier.

It would be nice if some others would post some pics and updates on their seedling "stuff". I will post some pics of some other seedling trees I have growing here. I have lots of space so there are various seedlings of peach, plum apricot, apple etc. A good number produce fantastic fruit while others not so fantastic, but in any event they have proven to be hardy here so they get to stay:) I encourage anyone with the room and patience to grow some seed out.....you may stumble on a real gem! I posted a link of a thread from a couple of years ago. They produced some fantastic fruit again last year and hoping for some again this year. It was a real test winter this year, really long cold then big warm up then really cold .......still really cold now! http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/fruit/msg0820041119336.html

I think it would be dicey in your climate. You would need to plant them at least six weeks before your freeze. I seem to remember some early freezes last year. You can't count on the end of October. If you do decide to start some, I would just start a few. Having lost about 60 seedlings last year during the long, hard winter, I'm wary. Debra This post was edited by shive on Sat, Jul 26, 14 at 14:23

Melissia, It depends on what you want to grow and it depends on where you live in the state. What you choose to plant now will vary based on the days-to-maturity of the veggies you plant and the first autumn freeze in your area. Look at the linked thread from a while back. Compare the list of fast, medium and slow-maturing veggies. Figure out your average first freeze date. Compare the two and then plant what you think will have time to mature and produce. Here in southern OK (and probably in the rest of the state too) there's plenty of time to plant seed now and get a harvest from the plants on the "quick maturity" list. In fact, for most of the cool-season crops on that list, it is still too hot to direct seed them, although you could start seeds in cups where you can control their sun exposure and moisture. For plants on the "Moderate Maturity" list, some likely would have time to mature if planted from seed now and that includes broccoli, Chinese cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, sweet corn (if 65-70 DTM varieties are planted), green onions, kohlrabi, bush lima beans, okra (could fail to produce pods, though, if cool weather comes extra early), parsley, and southern peas. Peppers or cherry tomatoes MIGHT have time to produce before frost, but only if large transplants (from 5-6" pots) are set out ASAP. On the list of slow maturing plants, the cool season ones like brussels sprouts, cabbage, or cauliflower could be planted from seed and likely would produce before a freeze gets them. Of course, these particular vegetables can take some cold weather. Garlic is traditionally planted in fall (Sept.-Oct.) for harvest in late spring to early summer of the following year. For the warm season plants on the Slow Maturity list, it is likely too late for the following from seed or tuber: tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes (might get some from tubers planted now if they are relatively short TM), pumpkins and winter squash or melons. It is definitely too late for melons, peppers, eggplant and tomatoes from seed. With everything else, it varies. For example, bush beans are a safer bet than pole beans at this point because they produce more quickly. Of course, everything hinges on the arrival of the first freezing weather/hard killing frost. Since moving here to Marietta 10 1/2 years ago, we've had a killing frost as early as Sept. 30th and as late as mid-December, so how well your fall garden does can vary a great deal depending on what the weather does. Hope this helps. Dawn Here is a link that might be useful: Veggies You Can Still Plant For Fall Harvest