So the weather has turned nicer and you want to get your hands in the dirt. It might still be a bit early for the garden yet, but if you have the ability to cover your plants if we get a hard frost, you might be able to get a few things in.

Vicki and I got our potatoes and onions planted this week as the ground dried up enough so that they wouldn’t rot before they had the chance to sprout. Certain cold crop vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and brussel sprouts can also go in now.

Few people have cold frames anymore like the old days when you had to get an early start on the garden to sometimes get two or more crops per year. Having a cold frame is a great way to get an advanced start to the season. You can find cold frame plans online and there are plenty of videos on YouTube about them as well. If your planting in containers you can get started as long as you can bring them in if we have a cold night or be able to cover them. Even temperatures down in the mid thirties can stunt your plants so throw a sheet over them if it is expected to get cold.

Also, I have found in my experience that the weather apps are always a few degrees off so if they say forty degrees for the low, expect thirty-six. Beware the full moon on May 12 as that will probably be the coldest night in May. 

Aside from the garden now that we have seasonable temperatures, the time is right for planting trees, shrubs and perennials. The ground water table is still pretty good so that if you are only up on weekends you can still get something in the ground and water it well on Sunday before going home and it should be fine until your return Friday night. This only holds true for plants in the ground, not containers or hanging baskets. We always get asked which flowers or hanging baskets can last all week without water and our answer is always the same – silk. Plants in containers are like having a pet or a child, without water every day bad things will happen. When plants are in the ground the roots will travel to find water, but when in a container they eventually just wrap around and around.

 People who have beautiful lush gardens and flowerbeds, work at having beautiful lush flowerbeds. It doesn’t happen by magic, it happens by taking the time and attention to care for your plants in the way they need to be cared for. Lavender likes dry, well drained soil, while Joe Pie Weed likes moist soil. Once you get to know what your plants need you can figure out the best way to take care of them. Should you get a sprinkler for your flowerbed or drip irrigation? Maybe neither, I have my gutter downspouts run into my flowerbeds and disperse the water along the length of the bed so that even a light drizzle will water my flowerbed for me. If we get a heavy downpour, my flowerbeds will get well watered, but the excess rain will then just run into my lawn. There is always a way to make your gardening life easier and more enjoyable.

I get new ideas talking to customers every week as everyone has something that they do differently from everyone else. Plus, it is always fun to talk about your past successes and to share stories about the failures (and there will be some).

  We’re not there yet, but as the grass gets greener and taller, remember No Mow May. More on that next week.