When the temperature reaches 71 degrees toward the end of March, it has a very profound effect on our psyche, and if you are a plant person like me, then it influences our desire to plant things. I know I don’t have to say it, but I will: Fight the urge. At least for a little longer. Perhaps time could be spent going for walks in the woods, or along the river, or reading your favorite book on the porch, or oiling your derailleur and dusting the cobwebs off your bike; but don’t start planting just yet.
I have received a lot of calls lately inquiring about planting and timelines. The urge to get tomato seeds in trays is overwhelming right now, but I can tell you from experience that you will end up with tomatoes that are two feet tall in your grow room before the weather is warm enough to plant. Remember that it might only take eight weeks for these little plants to be ready to transplant, but if you start right now, you might have 16 weeks before the soil is warm enough to accommodate those little darlings. It’s not uncommon to experience temperature shifts of 30-40 degrees in our region and while that is spectacular in the heat of the summer to have 50-degree nights and 89-degree days, it’s a lot more damaging when in May we can still have night temperatures in the 30s. Remember that tomatoes and peppers are prima donnas after all.
I am not trying to be a downer, but (for once in my life) I am trying to be realistic. Hopefully, I can spare you the headache of digging a 12” hole for that tomato plant you started in March or April. Besides tuning up our bikes or hiking the beautiful trails, there is something horticultural we can do in April that should satisfy some of that gardening desire. This is a fantastic time to prep the soil and direct seed your brassicas, like broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts and things like beets and spinach can be started in the next few weeks. Just remember that if they sprout early, and we get a typical April snowstorm, you will want to cover them with something to protect them from the extreme cold. If you are a bulb lover, the spring is also a great time to plant alliums, dahlias, calla lilies, and gladiolas. That will make any garden gorgeous all season long.
Happy Spring!
Heather Houk is the Horticulture and Agriculture specialist for the La Plata County Extension Office.
