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Alright, I have a question about NE life.... Are your growing seasons (veggies, flowers, etc.) very long? How do you go about deciding when to put plants into the ground? It always says after last threat of freeze, but how do you know when that is? Down here we just do it the weekend after Easter. That's what my grandfather has done since 1930 and so that's what we do. Also, do you buy your seeds or starter plants at a farmer's market or a feed & seed store, or where? I've noticed in pictures the unusually gorgeous hydrangeas all over NH - I'd love to have some, but mine don't ever seem to be able to survive the high heat and humidity or the excessive amounts of rain we get during the summer. Do they just grow wonderfully up there? Looking forward to hearing your responses!
Good call, MOD I think we've all been really BAD lately with staying on-topic
We have a very SHORT growing season in New Hampshire, and if you are a seed starter, you need to get a jump on the season by starting things indoors or in a cold frame. Our plant-out date is Memorial Day, yes I know, terrible!! But I'll tell you that I sometimes sneak my annuals in a little early, and just cover them over with sheets if we are expecting a frost
I'll tell you that I get plants from all the sources you mentioned, and I'm also an incorrigible seed snatcher. Walking through a garden or along a walkway and seeing seedpods that I know will be thrown away is too much for me. I always carry film canisters or envelopes that I can toss some seeds into. Which reminds me--I HAVE to collect my hollyhock seeds tomorrow if they've dried out enough. Anyone want some???
Growing season will be longest in extreme coastal southeastern New Hampshire- rates a USDA zone 6- and extreme southeastern NH near the Massachusetts border rated a zone 6 as well. A zone 6 means a temperture in the winter with an absolute low from 0 to minus 10 below zero. Manchester is a borderline zone 6/5, while Concord and Keene are a zone 5 (absolute lows in the winter minus 10 to minus 20 below zero) The Lakes region and central NH are mostly a zone 5- while up state- near the Canadian border a USDA zone 4- minus 20 to minus 30 below zero.
Also importantly is the frost free period.
First Frost Concord around September 22, Manchester September 24. Portsmouth October 2, Keene September 20, Nashua September 28
Last Frost Date Concord around May 23rd, Manchester May 20th, Portsmouth May 5 and Keene May 24th, Nashua May 19th
'Frost' is a temperture below 32 degrees or free of frost above 32 degrees.
oooh, hollyhocks! Can't believe they've already gone to seed!
Gardening in NH - especially on my shady property - is challenging. Hopefully it won't take several years for me to get as much established as I'd like.
Thanks to all involved in this post, I appreciate the info too.
We had that problem also Lisa, our house was bathed in shade from 100 ft. pine trees on the east, south and west sides of the house. We couldn't grow anything, sap dripped all over our cars, my dog would come in with pine sap all over his coat, and in between his toes. We ended up cutting nearly 30 trees, and now things are blooming that we didn't even know we had. Lilac, weigela, spirea. Lots of iris that I didn't plant that didn't come up the first few years we were here, and even some peonies! We did leave a stand of about 10 or 12 pine where the ladyslippers and some sort of sage grow. That's our "woodland garden area" where DH chops wood, and I do much of my potting up. I know many people love their pines, but for us it just didn't work...
I used to start from seed, but I found the cost of electricity for the constant light over a 6 week period was not cost effective and a pain in the * when there is no room for an indoor garden.
So I buy my tomatoes and pepper plants and start everything else outdoors - peas are in by April 15th (this year there was still snow on the ground, but as soon as possible the peas were planted) and peas are in by the 4th of July - a traditional 4th dinner includes salmon and new peas....ymmmmmmmm
the rest of the vegetables are in by Memorial Day - earlier if possible..... it goes by the full moon because a danger of frost is more likely at that time
We are currently eating beet greens....LOL, very tastey
and lettuce, lots and lots of lettuce - the cool weather keeps it from bolting
green beans, italian beans, lima beans and yellow wax beans (we've got beans coming out of our ears)
summer squash, cherry tomatoes, big yummy sweet tomatoes and lots of cucumbers
we don't grow corn ourselves, because it takes a lot of nitrogen from the soil and the local farms do such a great job of it, that I don't mind buying a 1/2 dozen at a time from them. Saves me the work, yet I enjoy the fruits of their labor.
That's amazing, Buck. I won't be planting seeds indoors again after my wasted effort last Spring. A disappointment considering what a pain it was.
And Val, we love our pines but removed some just around the house opening up some light and improving air circulation. The remaining pines are, however, easily as tall as you describe. For now, we have some areas that get sun, don't have excessive sap or anything, and wanting to leave as many pines intact as possible I'm taking time to plan what to plant where. It really is an overwhelming job.
We had that problem also Lisa, our house was bathed in shade from 100 ft. pine trees on the east, south and west sides of the house. We couldn't grow anything, sap dripped all over our cars, my dog would come in with pine sap all over his coat, and in between his toes. We ended up cutting nearly 30 trees, and now things are blooming that we didn't even know we had. Lilac, weigela, spirea. Lots of iris that I didn't plant that didn't come up the first few years we were here, and even some peonies! We did leave a stand of about 10 or 12 pine where the ladyslippers and some sort of sage grow. That's our "woodland garden area" where DH chops wood, and I do much of my potting up. I know many people love their pines, but for us it just didn't work...
Buck - you're killing me! All of my tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, squash, radishes, onions, lavendar, spearmint, beans, okra, and zucchini are finished. In fact one of my 'chores' this weekend is to pull up the rest of the dead plants and re-mulch for winter. We actually did okay with ours this year, but it's just SO hot, and we're usually rationing water, so we can only water between like 8 pm and 8 am. Unfortunately, that's when everybody else in our 100 home neighborhood is doing it too, so there's not much pressure. Looking forward to trying some new crops like broccoli and cauliflower and asparagus and eggplant and lettuce (too hot to even get off the ground here) when we get there. I've already got my stuff picked out that we're gonna try up there in my 'MOVING' file..
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I think we've all been really BAD lately with staying on-topic 
Thanks for responding!!
Unfortunately, that's when everybody else in our 100 home neighborhood is doing it too, so there's not much pressure. Looking forward to trying some new crops like broccoli and cauliflower and asparagus and eggplant and lettuce (too hot to even get off the ground here) when we get there. I've already got my stuff picked out that we're gonna try up there in my 'MOVING' file..
