IN THE GARDEN: It can wait

by Chuck McClung

Spring is technically here now, even though we’ve felt spring-like for many moons. As a result, some of us are fortunate enough to be further ahead in our beginning-of-the-year gardening endeavors than ever before.
And some of us not so. Please don’t stress. It is still early spring, the threat of a frost still looms, some soils are still quite waterlogged, and there’s lots of time. So if you’re overwhelmed in the garden, because it feels later in the spring than it really is, here are a few gardening endeavors that can wait.
Spring is a great time to plant. But if your soil is still real wet and mucky, disturbing the soil by planting will ruin its structure. Avoid planting anything in really wet soil until the water drains off a bit.
It’s still early to plant most annuals and tender perennials. Annuals in nurseries right now have been grown in protected greenhouses.The new growth for geraniums, marigolds, and impatiens, for instance, is easily damaged by frosts and even cool temperatures in the low 40s. Wait at least a few more weeks to plant up your containers with annuals.
If you must plant your containers, because you want to get a jump on spring, gently protect your containers with frost blanket or move them into a protected area in the evening when temperatures dip below 40 F outside.
Many annuals can be grown from seed in spring. Hardy annuals like Calendula, Alyssum, Nigella, and California poppies may be planted directly outdoors right now. However, wait to plant seed outdoors for most other annuals, because they simply will not germinate and may die in cooler temperatures.
Wait to plant starts of summer herbs like dill and basil until late May after all threat of a frost. Go ahead and plant hardy herbs like rosemary, oregano, sage, fennel, and mint.
Wait to plant summer veggies like melons, cucumbers, beans, winter squash, tomatoes, zucchini, corn and peppers; however, you can start seeds for these crops indoors now. Avoid starting seeds indoors like beans and corn, which are just as easily directly sown in the ground after mid-May. Now, however, is a great time to plant outdoors starts of lettuces, chard, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and Brussels sprouts, to name a few. Again if it’s still wet, wait to plant your below ground crops like onions, garlic, and especially potatoes.
Some winter hardy summer flowering bulbs may be planted now like Asiatic and Oriental Lilies. Wait to plant tender bulbs outside like Dahlias, Gladiolas, Begonias, Caladium and tuberoses; it just too cold and likely still too wet and tender bulbs may just rot. Go ahead and start these in containers, however, in a protected but cool location; be sure they get lots of light!
Wait to prune spring flowering shrubs and trees until after they bloom. Avoid pruning Rhodys, Azaleas, and Lilacs, for instance, but go ahead and prune Forsythia, Skimmia, and winter Heather once they’ve finished blooming. Wait to prune spring blooming Spiraeas like ‘Bridal Wreath’, but go ahead and prune your summer flowering Spiraeas like ‘Gold Flame’ and ‘Lime Mound’.  Know your plant!
Also wait to feed your plants and containers with any liquid fertilizers. It’s still too cool, the plants will not use the fertilizer, and you’ll be wasting money. Instead fertilize with organic, slow-release granular fertilizers.
So it’s ok to wait, but don’t wait too long.
Chuck McClung helps others solve their gardening dilemmas and may be reached at orchidfruit@hotmail.com.