With most gardeners anxious to get outside in the yard and start doing something we thought it would be helpful to give a few rules of thumb so that your time in the yard is beneficial to you and your plants.
What can I plant now? Early vegetable such as lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, onions, potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage.
Perennials can be planted now. Stop in and check out the beautiful, yellow, Itoh peonies as well as our creeping phlox, iris and tables upon tables of perennials! All of which can be planted now.
Trees, shrubs and evergreens can all be planted now.
Once the soil and night time temperatures have warmed up, possibly another week or so, it will then be safe to plant:
Veggies - Tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash, cucumbers and celery.
Flowers - Impatiens, coleus, begonias, caladiums, salvia, marigolds, geraniums, sweet potato vine.
Pepper plants, lemon trees, and tropical hibiscus should not be outside when temperatures drop below 50 degrees.
Feel free to shop now, but just be aware some items may need to come in and out until it's time for them to go in the ground.
What can I do in my yard now? Now is the perfect time to Weed & Feed your lawn. Put down crabgrass preventer, and fertilize your garden.
It is a good time to fertilize your trees, shrubs and evergreens.
If you haven't done so already, now is also the time to prune the dead rose stalks down to the green stems.
When your fruit trees are finished blooming and all petals have fallen off, this is the time you want to apply your Fruit Tree Spray and continue with a once a month application throughout the summer.
Now that forsythia are finished blooming - its' time for them to be pruned as well. The general rule of thumb is to prune them right after they are finished blooming.
If you have any questions regarding you vegetable, annual or perennial gardens, tree or shrub care, feel free to contact us! Our average frost free date is May 12. Watch for our frost warning alerts in your inbox.
We are here to help you be successful. Call 815-459-8130, stop in or email us with a picture of your plant or insect and we will be able to guide you in the proper care.