In zone 6 your last average frost date is about May 1 and I wouldn't put them outside until about two weeks after that date. Just too risky re abnormal weather still to possibly appear.

So if it were me I'd aim for setting out hardened off plants in mid May for **most** zone 6 gardening zones.

Nothing is gained by setting plants out into cold soil b'c they'll just sit there and sulk.

Carolyn

big_al, be patient, trust me! I'm in CT as well and learned my lesson the hard way.

Use mothers day for your in ground plant date.

This year should be interesting because we have a full moon on may 2nd that I can almost guarantee a frost in most of zone 6 if there is high pressure around at least one night in the time period of 4 days before, during and after the full moon (Today thru may 6th for the record).

We also have another full moon June 1st that if you plug in the same formula would mean the possibility may 28th-June 5th. This late would be unlikely but possible.

BUMP

BINGO...

Back on the 29th I said thru may 6th.

My formula holds true!

timmy1..that was truly interesting and amazingly accurate.

I've decided to plant out on Wednesday as raised beds are warmer and give me that little edge. Carolyn is right, though, tomato plants do not like to be in chilly soil. They sit in suspended animation and do nothing until it warms up. Just to spite you.

Yeap. Like clockwork. MothersDay should be the day you remember to plant out in the northeast. I always did it in April and 1 out of 3 years was extremely well but it was risking it.

unfortunetly now I know what's right, I don't have a garden. lol So bummed about that.

Should point out the distinction between GROUND and Air temperatures everyone is talking about. My plants are growing well for over a month in the ground of high tunnels. The soil temperature is over 60*F, plenty high for tomatoes to grow. Even outside soil temperatures are above 50*F in most locations in our area as evidenced by all the farm corn planters traveling the roads and fields.

So the only real question at this point in time is AIR temperature. Can we keep plants from getting frost damage at night? In most cases if you can protect your plants you are at an advantage, like the early corn planters, to set tomato plants out as early as possible. Advantages are: less heat stress on transplanted plants, earlier harvest and prolonged season to just name a few.

The real advantage that tomato growers have is the technology of the plastics and fabrics. Plastic mulch will warm the soil considerably. Plastic water-walls will help in moderating temperatures around foliage. Plastic over arches will "buy" a few more days and help eliminate some of the guesswork. Covering fabrics (rowcovers) work in much the same way in protecting from frost.

You can tell my opinion in the matter. I just think you need to first think about the flavor of that first home picked tomato in your mouth and then decide what you are going to do in order to pick it.

Dang, I just planted them in the ground yesterday, we got a couple of plants from a local farmers place and then homedepot, we asked the person working over there about when to plant and he suggested that this is the best time. Now reading this I am worried, what should I do? Please help me. This is the first year we are doing vegetables at this new place that we moved. Thanks to anyone who answers.

Hard to tell where you are as Zone 6 is pretty large. But, all you have to do is keep a close watch on the weather and protect the plants from frost. They should be OK. You can cover them the night before the possible frost with paper bags, boxes, buckets, etc. Do not use plastic. You can also buy frost protect bags or fabric. Remove the covers from the plants in the morning after any chance of frost is gone. If you get through the next 2 or 3 weeks all should be well.

We used to make paper hats out of newspapers (four or five pages at a time) to protect tomatoes in case of a late frost. With dirt on the turned down edges to keep them in place. But a plastic pot turned upside down will do it (put a rock on top to keep it over the plant). Zone 6 ought to be OK from now on. I'm shooting for the 19th or 20th.

I'm in zone 6 and I've planted out my tomatoes already. (Some romas, beefsteaks, and supersonic) They seem to be doing just fine even with the temps dropping down a couple of nights. I didn't bother covering them out of sheer laziness. I did notice yesterday that there are a couple of flower buds forming on one of them (Supersonic) so it's possible I may lose a couple of the early flowers, but the plant itself is still growing.

I just cover the pot with another pot. Not the best thing but my time is limited this year.

Well I am going to take the plunge tomorrow and pop those babies into their beds with a good shot of horse manure and alfalfa pellets. I stand by with emergency milk jug covers in case of frost, which ain't gonna happen. Come on zone 6ers, let's do this!

According to Weather.com, in our area for the next 10 days there is only supposed to be one night of 49-degrees and all the rest in the mid-to-upper 50's. We are going to start hardening off our tomatoes this week with a planned planting date of the 19th. Yippee!!! (We also have got the ground covered with black plastic landscape cloth to help get the soil temps up.)

Yup - in a day or so I'll be in as well !
The oak tress have almost full leaves - good signs of spring ~

Tom

Hmmmmm... they changed the forecast... Saturday night, low in the upper 30's here...

As I recall, CT had a Frost/Freeze Warning last week/weekend and we here in the Buf were 5-10 degrees warmer. I wonder if CT will be 5-10 degrees cooler again...if so, that could do some serious irreversible damage that you may not recover from...

I planted yesterday here in southern New Hampshire; it is 87 degrees today. No frost predicted for the next 10 days either. I plant in raised beds though, and I have walls of water available if it looks like a cold night.

It's going to be a good year. Remember last May it could not get out of the 40's and 50's for highs?? Seems like it's starting pretty good. Unless we have a soggy June, we're in for a nice treat..

except me of course. :(

Okay, well, I got HALF of them planted - the other half will wait until tomorrow. Bed temperatures are nice and warm when you stick your hand in there. I put down a good thick straw mulch and buried them deeply - they look so small now! Thunderstorms predicted for Friday in my area, but I have milk jug covers ready to protect the plants from taking a beating. I am really happy with these plants. Despite cold beginnings they have come full circle and look as good as plants in the best nurseries, although not as large in general. With good weather they will double in size in one week - I have seen it before. Here we go!

Our general zone is 5b but our microclimate is more like 6a. I have been meaning to put my maters in the ground for the last few nights but so far my intentions have been frustrated. First of all it has been getting rather gusty at night. Tonight there is a frost possibility but that doesn't bother me. I have covers. The trouble with tonite is I am nearly 13 weeks pregnant and frankly I am aching and tired. But I am SO itching to get those guys in the ground!

triple b - first of all congratulations on your impending bundle of joy. Now, don't get frustrated, just get a few in their planting holes each day until it is all done. I finished mine today and it was a chore, but there is a lot to be done to get a total of 24 plants nicely ensconced. And if the weather is cooperative, well, you'll just get a sunburn instead of getting rained on, so it's always something. Just start with a few, whatever you can manage, and by the time you are done the weather will have evened out and you'll be glad.

Only six would fit in my patch and leave them each a fair amount of elbow space. I dug the holes today and put them in tonight along with a couple mandatory peppers. It was no big deal, taken in small bits. I still have some to go up to my SIL's along with a couple other things. My growing space this year is pretty small potatoes. However in light of recent, ah... developments, it is probably a good thing. So they are now in the ground for better or for worse.

I just checked the plants that I put in last night and they look great. No wilting, no "what the h*** happened to me" look. NEXT: CUCUMBERS.

We haven't reached the 5th of June yet but I am thinking the worst is over in NE where it is either too cold or too hot.

But spring and fall are just wonderful. Just stick around, it'll change ;-)
Sometimes all in the same day.

If I could find some place where it would stay about 75 year round, I would move there.

Some of the tomatoes that I planted on May 8th from 6 packs have flower buds that are almost ready to blossom.