According to the National Climatic Data Center, Detroit and the surrounding area have a less than 10% chance of experiencing a frost after May 15. This is the ‘safe’ date for people who have no way of protecting their sprouted plants from frost … but pretty much all backyard gardeners do. Even a single layer of newspaper forming a tent over fragile plants and weighed down at the edges with loose soil or planks for the night is often sufficient. A table-top barbecue grill with some leftover charcoal, an old blow-dryer or a camping lantern will all serve as make-do smudge pots, too.

So, let’s consider what should be happening, and when, in the spring. For the sake of consistency only, I’ll use the May 15 date, but I should warn you that the bulk of my personal garden will be in a full month earlier. I’ve learned that my raised box form of gardening, combined with shelter from the wind by two garages, a large stack of firewood, and the backyard neighbors’ overgrown fence line, allows me some impunity. An assortment of tomato hot-caps, 1 gallon milk jugs and 2-gallon glass pickle jars and so on provides additional insurance against ‘surprise’ frosts. I’m also not above setting a Coleman camping lantern and a small charcoal fire out on the ground all night, either.

Okay … remembering the ‘iffy’ nature of the May 15 date, here goes (when confronted with a contradiction, just go with what your bunions tell you – the more online sources you reference, the more confusing this is going to get.):

These guys can get started inside:

• Artichoke
• Celery
• Eggplant (Aubergines)
• Pepper (sweet and hot)
• Tomatoes (all varieties)
• Broccoli
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Onion

These guys can go in the soil now:

• Potato seeds (sprouted chunks of spuds)
• Onion sets
• Asparagus root
• Broccoli – as transplants – protect from hard freeze
• Cabbage – as transplants – protect from hard freeze
• Collards – from seed
• Spinach – from seed
• Peas – from seed
• Lettuce – from seed
• Turnips – from seed