climber seeds now?

19 years ago

I'm in zone 5 and it is now March 19. Is it too soon to stick these climber seeds in the ground: Clematis, Morning Glory, Cardinal Climber. In this zone there's always the "when the forsythia blooms" standard for when to start yard and garden activities, and I was just wondering if that applied to seeds. We are now warming up and the trend looks like it might stick, but I've been fooled before in northern Illinois, where spring often doesn't show up until summer.

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Comments (3)

ChiGardener
19 years ago
I hope you didn't plant anything yet as I look out the window here in Chicago to a rather cool and rainy evening.

I'm really having to try and not be too hard on myself about not having planted anything out in the garden yet or even doing any real bed prepping yet (save for a small plot that I turned and transplanted the sod to a bare strip) OR starting a good number of veggie and flower seeds I want inside yet.
I try to remember that when I did my first garden back in 2005 I really didn't start until May and that was with very few seedlings. I just sowed the majority right in the yard or pots. I did a climber mix of seeds and they did good that late in the season.

That year I also still had a few dollars to my name so I bought bareroot discount perennials and potted plants to put into the garden.

I know the garden bug is itching but I also know this weather up here is sooo fickle! I'm just glad I haven't heard of snow in the forecasts!

good luck and happy gardening
yardmartyr
Original Author
19 years ago
I hear you. Being a new gardener, I just really want to get the whole dirty business started. But I'm hearing a new mantra, which is "not before Mother's Day." And you're right--yesterday (and today) was miserable, with a little bit more to come. But I'm glad to hear that May isn't really too late to begin. It just feels like we miss out on a couple months of growing time up here. However, before we know it, we'll be up to our ankles in mulch and weeds, and then we'll be saying, "November, what's taking you so long?!" Thanks for the encouragement.
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Carol_Ann
19 years ago
When the forsythia blooms it's still too cold out for a lot of warm season plants. It's a good time to start garden clean up, growing cool season plants (planting peas, broccoli, etc.), but I wouldn't put seeds of warm season crops out in the ground yet. The cool damp soil will most likely cause them to rot and the temps aren't really warm enough for them yet.

I start climbers like morning glories inside in small pots so they're ready to go out when it gets warm enough. In fact, morning glories, basil, hyacinth bean, and some others are on my list for today :) I did plant some violas (plants) out over the weekend (I couldn't resist) but the cold nights we have coming up later this week will probably mean I'll be out there with a cover of some kind. Looks like you're in for some similar weather -- hold tight, plant what you can inside, and the warm weather will get here!

Happy gardening!