PDF 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
