Posted: May 4, 2021
This time of year, as the daytime temperatures warm and the snow is but a memory, we get very excited for spring and what’s to come. Planting our vegetable gardens, containers, and taking out our houseplants are all chores for the springtime. However, be careful, because for many things, it’s still too early.
Perennials and annuals that can tolerate colder temperatures
When considering vegetable gardening, some veggies are ready to go into the ground and some are not. Much of it depends on whether your soil is ready as well. When chatting with a Master Gardener friend, I found out that he has his potatoes, onions, cabbage, and broccoli all planted in his garden. And it's been planted for a few weeks. His garden consists of raised beds, with lots of organic matter. Raised beds allows a gardener, typically, to plant earlier than those gardeners that are planting traditionally - at ground level. Raised beds warm up quicker and have better drainage than a garden that isn't raised.
Although his garden is ready, my vegetable garden is not. The soil is too wet. When I put a shovel into the ground, it stays in place, it keeps its form. It's also still quite cold to the touch. Managing the soil and knowing when it's ready to be planted is half of the success in vegetable gardening. If plants and seeds are planted too early, in too wet or too cold of soil, they will either rot, or not grow, until the soil warms up and dries out.
Hopefully, a soil test has already been taken for your vegetable garden, but if not, it can still be done. Soil test kits are available at your local extension office or online. This will help you determine if any nutrients are needed for the crops you are growing.
Add organic matter to your garden beds. Whether they are raised beds, like my friend's, or a garden like mine, you can never go wrong with organic matter. Some examples of this are compost (the best choice, in my opinion), composted cow manure, leaf mold, and chopped-up leaves which will all work in your garden beds.
Just like my friend, early crops can be put in the ground when the soil is ready. Cole crops like broccoli and cabbage, cool crops like kale, potatoes, and onions, can all be planted. Pea seeds can go into the ground early too, as can lettuce, spinach, and other greens.
Don't plant tomatoes, peppers, any of the squash or melons. It's much too early for them. If they manage to escape a frost, the cool nights will inhibit their growth, as they love the heat of the summer. It's best to wait till late May for crops such as these.
Additional gardening that I get very anxious for are containers. I really enjoy putting together combinations of plants that can be placed on our deck and patio. But be cautious as to what plants you choose this early for containers. Many of our annuals are frost sensitive, and most are freeze sensitive. So this time of year I like to do containers with bulbs (tulips and daffodils from Easter sales), pansies, snapdragons, and I love to mix in some salad greens and kale for texture. Stay away from plants like impatiens, coleus, and sweet potato vine - all of which are very sensitive to frost and cold temperatures but can still be found this early in many of the stores. Remember, just because it's there to buy, doesn't mean it's ready to plant. Many of those temperature-sensitive plants will be purchased a second time if planted too early.
In the summer, I like to put many of my tropical houseplants outside on the shady part of our deck. When the days get to above 70 degrees, it is so tempting to take those plants outdoors for some fresh air. But… I must remind myself that in our area the average last frost date is May 10, making April just too early to take those houseplants outdoors for the season. And our nighttime temperatures can still go as low as the high 30's, low 40's.
Shrubs and trees all benefit from planting now. It's still possible to purchase bareroot plants (these are plants with no soil on the roots), which cost less and are light and easy to transport. 'The early spring allows the moisture in the soil to help those roots get established, and the spring rains reduces the amount of watering we must do. Perennials, as well, are great for early spring planting. Typically this time of year smaller containers can be purchased - which are less expensive and easier to dig a hole for since the root ball is smaller. One watering at planting is often all that's needed to get these perennials off to a good start.
When visiting big box stores and garden centers, often you'll find boxes of bagged summer bulbs and roots. A word of caution: if the bulbs and roots are plants that must be dug up in the fall, like dahlias, gladiolus, canna lilies, calla lilies, and begonia bulbs, it's too early to plant. Wait till the danger of frost is past. However, if they are perennials like ferns, peonies, and lilies, they can be planted in the ground now, provided the soil is workable. Just as we must be careful in the vegetable garden for good drainage, so must we be careful not to dig for trees, shrubs, perennials, or summer bulbs if the soil is too wet.
So enjoy the early spring weather, the warm days, and cold nights; but before putting that shovel in the soil, be sure that whatever you are planting is ready for the season, and the soil is ready for the plants.
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Mary Ann Ryan is the Penn State Consumer Horticulture Program Coordinator in Adams County. Penn State Extension of Adams County is located at 670 Old Harrisburg Road, Suite 204, Gettysburg, phone is 717-334-6271.
