Need input on when to get started with my garden's seeds (now)? Western NY

[StageLeft]

Last year was a success, with some tomatos and cucumbers and things and this year I want:

3-4 cherry tomato plants
~8 cucumber plants (LOVE THEM)
Beans (4-6 feet in a length and have them grow up a matrix attached to the deck)
1-2 green peppers
MAYBE fruit (is there any fruit that a newb can grow here, honestly, like mellons or anything?)

Anyway it appears average last frost date is May 18 in my area according to one site and then another said around April 25th, but that you don't want to do frost-sensitive crops until a couple of weeks later.

Now, I have a spot in front of a double-wide door, south-facing. I was thinking of getting a bunch of seedlings on the go and ideally when I put the plants in the ground they're already much bigger than if I bought them in a store.

So, should I start now? How early can I get the seedlings going? I also noticed last year that many plants absolutely hate to be moved and will die or just generally suck, so perhaps I don't want these things too large first...

 

[bobsmith1492]

I need to check on the dates too...

Lots of seed packages will shows a weather zone map indicating which month to plant. I'm just going to buy some seeds and see what they say. Lettuces are typically the earliest things you can plant and I'm not sure if it's that time yet or not!

For tomatoes, cucumbers, and beans you won't need to start them early though; my dad has always grown them here in Michigan and I think it's a shorter season than NY.

He's also done muskmelons that turned out alright, even watermelons but it has to be a long year. Maybe you could plant those early for some benefit? Also peppers need a long season so they would be good to start indoors.

 

[Zebo]

Preparing, now you're thinking.

 

[spidey07]

I do park seed company. They'll send when it's appropriate for your zone to start your seeds. Remember to take into account full germination into seedling times.

About moving your seedlings. Look into "hardening off". It's a gradual process from taking them inside to outside to expose them a little bit at a time before you plant them.

 

[EagleKeeper]

As a kid, we had no problems with watermelons/cantelopes along the I90 in Mass. One set of grandparents had a victory garden in Utica with similar fruit, We also had strawberrys

 

[bobsmith1492]

As a kid, we had no problems with watermelons/cantelopes along the I90 in Mass. One set of grandparents had a victory garden in Utica with similar fruit, We also had strawberrys

Oh yeah! I forgot about the berries. Some other fruit you could grow includes raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries (at least in MI, again).

 

[piasabird]

Plant the lettuce and the radishes in the early spring between now and April 15th. Strawberries can be harvested in the springtime if you grow them. First year you will get nothing. Other things do not grow well until later. A late frost will kill most other vegetables.

Need to hold off on things like beans. They need warm weather. Maybe May. Takes about 90 days. Same for watermelon, and sunflowers.

Tomatoes and pepers should be planted after the last frost. Good guess as to when that will occur. Wait till April 15.

Some things like peppers and tomatoes I would not grow by seeds. Melons and raddish and lettuce and things like Sunflowers and wild sesame are probably best by seed. Some people like to eat Pumpkin blossoms battered and fried. Wild sesame leaves can be prepared the same way. Pumpkins take forever to get ripe. The runners will send down their own roots if the main plant dies.

Freshly grown potatoes are a lot better than what you get at the store. Sweet potatoes have good blooms. Plant a row of flower to attract bees.