Quick Tips for Cool Spring Weather

If you love to garden, weather determines what to do and when you do it from planting, to pruning to spraying and on and on. Here are a few tips to help you hunker down for the cool spring days and nights we can still experience in our tender gardens:

Don’t panic! The warm weather has kicked many plants into bloom very early this year. Some plants will not be harmed by slushy snow, which is predicted for the higher elevations this weekend. Small tender perennials can be covered but larger plants should be able to handle these fluctuating temperatures. Unfortunately, you must let nature take its course. Because spring temperatures can rise and fall on a moment’s notice and occur in short stints, you must sit tight and watch what happens as the plants finish flushing out and harden off.

Always go by the planting rule of thumb for your vegetable garden and only plant seeds that prefer the cooler temperatures. As tempting as it is to buy your annuals and get them in the ground early as they pop up in the nurseries, in New England, you should always wait until the latter part of May before planting them outside. Unfortunately, if you do garden, you learn that weather can be your friend when the buds are popping and can cause great angst when trees and shrubs flower too soon.

Our inspirational quote of the day is by Alice Hoffman. “When all is said and done, the weather and love are the two elements about which one can never be sure. “ Great weekend to bake the banana bread from Thursday's post! You can always count on good food.