Sherm
I've had my Tomatoes and Peppers out since mid April. The Tomatoes are under the WoWs and the Peppers are in large pots. I cover the Peppers with the Large 32oz styrofoam containers at night. Wish I could find larger styrofoam cups or Bowls. Anyway taking the proper precautions you can start earlier than you think in the PNW.

When to plant should be based on your average last frost date. We usually plant out the end of May since our last frost date is usually mid-May in south central Idaho. So we try to plant out two weeks after the average last frost. We have been known to have frost in the middle of June, but that is unusual.

In fact there was ice in the pets outdoor water dish this morning. It was 32º about 20 miles north of us at 6:00 am, and since the dish is in a rather protected spot, I think we got a bit colder than that.

If you are using some protection like walls of water, you can push it somewhat. Since I donÂt use them, so I canÂt give you any advice on that.

Farming (gardening) is always a gamble.

Bets

Here is a link that might be useful: Oregon Freeze / Frost Occurrence Data

My MIL is in medford and every year they plant on mother's day

Sherm I too live around Portland and planted two weeks ago. The Toms. are in a raised bed. Since it has been so wet they haven't gotten much taller but the stems are much thicker and expect them to explode when the weather gets warmer and dryer. We had frost one day last week but they survived. Plant them now.

Sherm- I live near Portland and started planting out in early April, but under TunLCovers, which are 18' long, 18" tall double-walled plastic with wire ribs that push into the soil. I have been using them for more than 6 years, still have my first ones, and have used them to get the tomatoes through frosts and snow. I also put them out a few weeks early to dry the soil before planting, so it doesn't matter that it rains frequently. I posted a photo on the thread below which Photobucket failed to rotate, of my first transplants. I had to replace 3 of them.

I plan to put my peppers and eggplants that will be in pots outside this week. I harden plants off on my concrete east-facing porch and so I've had tomato plants out there hardening off since early April, though I tried to cover them when temps get into the low 30's.

Here is a link that might be useful: photo

shermthewerm, you don't have small kids do ya? :) Anyway I am further north than you a few miles from the border. I planted my maters out today in Eartboxes. They are on their own now. In my area we are past the last frost date and the night temps have consistantly been in the 40's. Tomatoes and other veggies are extremely adaptable and hardier than you think. Give it a go but cover them if the temps get cold which I doubt in May.

Larrick

Thanks to everyone! That was exactly what I wanted to hear! I went ahead & planted everything--fingers crossed.

Larrick, your comment about whether I have small children has me completely puzzled & it's driving me crazy: what do you mean? Maybe I was out in the sun too long today?

I put tomatoes in the ground in Seattle in late April and covered them under a tunnel cloche (cheap clear plastic stretched over a frame of PVC pipes. While my plants haven't shot straight up, they are growing and the determinate early maturing ones have lots of large buds on them that I expect to set fruit. Here's hoping I'm right about that.

The point being, you can plant tomatoes out in Late APril/early May if they are protected, but without protection it might not be a good idea.

sherm, sorry to confuse you but I guess you don't have small children. On a kids cartoon called The Backyardagins they have a character named Sherman the Worman. So I thought your name was a play on that character.

I was out today to plant 6 more, had to replace 2, and saw bloom on Principe Borghese! Good Luck. I thought the small children related to breaking your plants after they were planted.:-)

Ohhhh! No, I have an 11 & a 15 year old (they were raised on Barney & Blues Clues). Now I'll have to watch the Backyardagins--that is very close.

I was thinking maybe you meant if I had small children I should have them plant my veggies on Mother's Day, or maybe that meant that I coddle my children/plants too much...didn't think of the name.

I know this is off subject some. but we are wanting to plant our toms on mothers day. my dad is wanting to trellis them on old chicken wire. I have never trellised before. is it possible to have them grow that way and should we put up the trellis when we plant tomorrow?

I would think they'd do fine trellised with chicken wire (you might have to tie them to the wire here & there, as they don't really have any way to "grab" like grapes do).

Also, I would guess that you would want to have the trellis in place when you plant, as to not disturb the roots later. But I suppose, if the trellis was to be put in place within a week or two you should be ok.