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When do I plant seeds in the midwest?

I'm looking to plant a fruit and vegetable garden from seed, tuber, or bulb depending on how the plant comes. When should I plant them in Missouri (zone 5)? Do I have to start indoors or I can put them straight in the ground? I'm planning to do tomato, watermelon, peppers, potatos, spinish, garlic, broccoli, pumpkins, carrots, mesclun, and lettuce. Response to answerer: I didn't know I was on Yahoo UK. It shows the URL as answers.yahoo.com. Wouldn't it be .uk if I were on a UK site? I'm confused.

Public Comments

1. Zone 5 typically is an April-May zone. I'd wait till May. The biggest issues are frost and flood. If too much water remains due to heavy rains the plants can either rot or grow mold.
2. Probably not your fault, but why is your question on Yahoo U.K.?
3. I have a small greenhouse in my backyard in Northern Michigan - so I have already started my seeds! Read the packets and check on how much time it takes before seedling will pop up. I always play it safe and wait until the last frost warning passes before I transplant to the garden - which is usually Memorial Day here. When you start the seeds - keep them in the dark - most likely your basement until the sprout! then move them to the sunlight in a garden window or such!
4. When I lived in Zone 5, I always waited until after the last threat of frost which was mid may. You can start tomato, pepper, garlic, broccoli indoors in peat pots, but I haven't been too successful doing that with vine plants or lettuce like plants, they did not transplant well.
5. Usually in your area and mine, which is 6-7, it,s safe to put most things out by the first of May. Good luck!
6. Hi: I am a landscaper and designer. Being in zone five, you will want to wait not only until after the last frost, but your ground temperature needs to warm up. Mid May is around the time a lot of people in your zone begin planting. You could start your seeds inside now for four to six weeks to get a jump on your garden. I will link you to the spices and herb section of my website. There is a page on herbs growing from seeds. This process will work for vegetables. Make sure you properly prepare your garden first before planting. This is the key to ensuring a healthy garden. I will link you to the plan, prep, and plant page. This is a great method to plan any garden. I will also link you to the site map, as this page has everything that is on the website. Browse through and see if you can find any other articles, tips or techniques that could help you with your vegetable garden. Good luck to you and have a great day! Kimberly http://www.landscape-solutions-for-you.com/Spices.html http://www.landscape-solutions-for-you.com/plan.html http://www.landscape-solutions-for-you.com/Site.html