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Soil temperature is key to transplant success
“Can I plant tomatoes now?”
Record warm days have prompted that thought among many Sacramento-area gardeners. Super Bowl Sunday proved to be the hottest February day ever recorded in Sacramento – 78 degrees.
Following several springlike days in the 70s, plants (and people) are responding to this warmth as if it’s April, not mid February. Spring flowers are quickly coming into bloom. Some local nurseries have already started putting out tomato seedlings for sale.
But that doesn’t mean it’s time to transplant those baby tomato plants outside – into the cold, hard ground. Because that soil is still mighty chilly.
According to the UC Davis weather and climate report, soil temperature was still only 51 degrees at its campus weather station Sunday. That’s typical for late winter/early spring. Afternoon air may be warm, but overnight temperatures are still dipping down into the 40s.
Tomatoes need warm soil to grow, develop strong roots and thrive. Transplant a tomato seedling into cold soil, it will just sit there and sulk (or worse).
Ideally, tomatoes and other summer crops such as peppers, squash and eggplant need soil temperatures above 60 degrees before transplanting. Tomatoes prefer soil temperatures even warmer. Oregon State University researchers found that soil temperatures in the 65- to 70-degree range were the sweet spot for tomato transplanting.
When will we see soil temperatures that warm? Most likely April, say the weather forecasters. April also is Sacramento’s traditional tomato transplanting time.
The best way to know for sure in your own garden is to use a soil thermometer. Available at nurseries, this simple device can check soil temperature at a glance; just stick it in the ground. (It’s a lot like checking the temperature of a roast in the oven with a meat thermometer.)
Soil in raised beds warms faster than soil in level ground. The same goes for soil that gets reflected heat from concrete walks or buildings. Wherever, our soil is still not going to reach 60 degrees for at least four to six weeks, say soil experts.
A lot of weather can happen between now and April. Sacramento’s historical frost date – the last day with a threat of freezing overnight temperatures – is March 23. Baby tomato plants also don’t cope well with heavy rain. A March miracle with 3 or more inches of rain would definitely help our water outlook, but could cause any early transplants to damp off in cool, wet soil.
So, wait on the tomatoes for now, and concentrate on leafy greens instead. Your salad garden may not have extra-early Early Girls, but there’s still time to plant more lettuce.
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Garden Checklist for week of May 19
Temperatures will be a bit higher than normal in the afternoons this week. Take care of chores early in the day – then enjoy the afternoon. It’s time to smell the roses.
* Plant, plant, plant! It’s prime planting season in the Sacramento area. If you haven’t already, it’s time to set out those tomato transplants along with peppers and eggplants. Pinch off any flowers on new transplants to make them concentrate on establishing roots instead of setting premature fruit.
* Direct-seed melons, cucumbers, summer squash, corn, radishes, pumpkins and annual herbs such as basil.
* Harvest cabbage, lettuce, peas and green onions.
* In the flower garden, direct-seed sunflowers, cosmos, salvia, zinnias, marigolds, celosia and asters.
* Plant dahlia tubers. Other perennials to set out include verbena, coreopsis, coneflower and astilbe.
* Transplant petunias, marigolds and perennial flowers such as astilbe, columbine, coneflowers, coreopsis, dahlias, rudbeckia and verbena.
* Keep an eye out for slugs, snails, earwigs and aphids that want to dine on tender new growth.
* Feed summer bloomers with a balanced fertilizer.
* For continued bloom, cut off spent flowers on roses as well as other flowering plants.
* Don’t forget to water. Seedlings need moisture. Deep watering will help build strong roots and healthy plants.
* Add mulch to the garden to help keep that precious water from evaporating. Mulch also cuts down on weeds. But don’t let it mound around the stems or trunks of trees or shrubs. Leave about a 6-inch to 1-foot circle to avoid crown rot or other problems.
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