Monday Notes From the Garden Planting Too Early?
Although it was a record wet weekend, it has been a beautiful start to Spring and everything is anxious to get going including us gardeners. Even after many years of gardening here in the Mid West , I am amazed at plants resilience to survive and thrive after Winter temperatures that we humans surely couldn’t survive out in the elements. As we sit in our toasty warm homes through far below freezing temps, knowing that we did our best for our gardens in Fall, and expecting so much of them come Spring.
Probably the question I am most asked this time of year is “How early can I plant this?” The answer is that it really depends on what it is. The big box stores are overflowing right now with beautiful fully blooming plants that were greenhouse grown warm and toasty. This can not only throw us off our game and make us think we’re behind in planting, but also tempt us to buy these beautiful blooms we haven’t seen in so long through the dark winter. The truth is we are not out of the woods just yet.
Here in zone 6 our last frost date usually falls about 3/4 of the way through April. The old reliable Farmer’s Almanac can tell you the last frost date for your zip code each year. Even then I would check the 10 day forecast on your phone around that date to make sure there are no more dips that could harm tender young plants before planting . The most common things that are great to plant right now are bare root material that are still in a dormant stage, and other dormant trees shrubs etc. If you already have a perennial in your garden and are looking to add more of the same, remember that your perennials that have been there in your garden have established root systems in your soil and the new fully grown out nursery pots do not.
Here in the gardens my new hydrangeas that have been in the tunnels already have blooms budding up on them, where the field grown ones of the same variety are barely have first leaves . The tunnel grown plants are warm and happy and not exactly playing by nature’s rules which is exactly how the big box plants have been treated. If it isn’t leafed out yet in your garden, then a fully blossoming or leafed out plant you see at the big box store probably isn’t going to survive a hard freeze or will at least be set back and you may miss your long awaited Spring blooms. Paying close attention to what is happening out in your garden is a great way gauge what is safe to plant. If something in the store is way ahead of what you see growing around you , save your money. It may not be the best thing to buy right now unless you have a way of protecting it from potential frost through the end of April. If it’s going in a pot, be prepared to bring in to a garage or cover in frosty situations. Some flowers like pansies, hellebores, early blooming bulbs etc. can handle some frosty situations because they are meant to be blooming now, where others that are not supposed to be blooming until later in the season cannot. What to do if there is a sudden freeze and you have already planted out some fully blown and grown perennials in the garden? A really good drink during the day when a frosty night is ahead can go a long way in helping your new plant keep warm. Mulching can also help insulate the soil. Covering with a frost cloth can also help improve the temps by a couple of degrees. I like to stake the frost cloth so it isn’t touching the tender new leaves like a tent. If you get some die back after a hard Spring freeze , don’t give up! You may loose the blooms for this Spring, but if it is a perennial there is a good chance it will make a full recovery and bloom beautifully for you either later in the season or next year on nature’s own schedule.
Daffodil Days Bouquet club finishes up this week! Despite all of the Fall and Winter construction, the daffodils put on a great show this year. It was wonderful seeing all of you that joined in the daffodil fun before the market opened, and I am excitedly looking forward to the Early Spring Bouquet Club in just a couple of weeks.
Happy Spring !
xo
Shari