Gardening can be a highly rewarding activity. Not only are you able to enjoy the outdoors and stay physically active; you can grow gorgeous flowers, sweet fruit, and fresh vegetables for your own home. As we pass our average last freeze date, we can put into motion our warm season vegetable gardens. Warm season vegetables thrive when temperatures are warm and are sensitive to cold and frost.
The average last freeze date is calculated based on historical data of when the temperature stops dipping to 32℉ in the spring. Your specific date may depend on where you reside in Richmond County. In the northernmost part of the county, the average last freeze date is March 26 to April 1. In the southernmost part of the county, the average last freeze date is estimated to be between April 2 and April 8. These averages are taken from data gathered from weather stations in Jackson Springs and Hamlet respectively.
It may seem strange that Jackson Springs has an earlier average last freeze date than Hamlet even though it is further North. However, microclimates and air drainage can greatly influence frost and freeze patterns. In this case, Jackson Springs sits at a higher elevation than Hamlett. Since cool air is denser than warm air, cool air settles in low lying areas. This means that higher spots are warmer on cold nights than spots lower in elevation. The lower spots are where air can settle. While there are about 20 miles between Jackson Springs and Hamlet, microclimates can occur on much smaller scales. Neighbors can experience slightly different temperatures due to factors such as wind, vegetation, sun exposure, exposed soil, bodies of water, and structures.
Late March is a good time to start looking at the 10 day forecast to determine when to plant your warm season crops. Warm season crops that can be planted in April include beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, melons, okra, peppers, squash, and tomatoes. These vegetables vary in how well they perform when transplanted or directly sown. Direct seeding is when a seed is planted directly in the ground. Transplanting is putting a container grown plant in the ground. Transplanting can give you a head start on the season, give you better control of germination, and allow you to protect small seedlings. You can mulch around transplants immediately. If directly sown, seeds would need to spout before mulching so they aren’t buried or lost. In contrast, direct seeding is less work, costs less if you are purchasing transplants, and eliminates transplant shock.
Some plants prefer one method over the other. For example, root vegetables such as carrots and beets do better when directly sown into the ground. Tomatoes and peppers tend to do best when transplanted. They are heat loving and grow slowly when temperatures are cool. This makes them vulnerable to unpredictable weather and pests. They can have poor germination rates if the conditions aren’t right. This makes them better suited to be started in a controlled environment such as a greenhouse or indoors. Finally, there are warm season plants that can either be planted by seed directly or transplanted such as watermelons and cucumbers. The starting method can be based on the gardener’s personal preference and goals.
Whether you choose to plant transplants or directly seed, some things will be consistent: water and sun. Your vegetable garden will need about 1 inch of water a week whether it comes from mother nature or irrigation. It will also need sun. Different vegetables require different levels of light or sun a day. A general rule of thumb is that if the vegetable is grown for its fruit, then it needs the most sun, about 8-10 hours a day. Roots crops need 5-6 hours of sun and leafy crops need 3 to 4 hours at a minimum.
Gardening is both an art and a science. While there are few ‘hard’ rules, following these guidelines will help you be successful. For more information about growing vegetables, contact your local county North Carolina Cooperative Extension Office. Have a fantastic growing season!
