Happy Mother's Day! Here in southeast Michigan, the safe bet is to wait until the middle of May to plant warm weather annuals like petunias, impatiens and geraniums. Otherwise a sudden cold snap can seriously harm these tender plants, especially in the early stages of growth. A family tradition is to donate a few hours towards planting annuals each Mother's Day. It began with youthful scrawled coupons in various crayola colors. They were always redeemed. It's a gift that continues to give throughout the growing season.
Sitting in"The Big House" in Ann Arbor along withforty thousandother family members, and eleven thousand of the brightestand best tender seedlings, the freezing cold had no impact.The warmth of emotion andcommunal pride in our young upstarts warded off the icy wind. The saplings are ready to transplant. The freezing rain held off until we hustled back to the parking lot. Timing is everything, in life, as in the garden.
Cold hardy annuals like pansies and violas can be planted safely in early to mid April depending on the weather. This warm winter, many survived and are thriving.
For timing, consider the area of your property where you wish to plant. Sunnier areas can accept annualsearlier than cooler shaded spots. Look at the perennials in your garden. Some hosta still look like asparagus poking out of the ground, while in otherspots they are in full circular bloom. Plant in the latter, sooner.
Don't beseduced by the early appearance offlats of sunny impatiens at big box stores. It's tempting, but those colorful darlings spent their infancy in a warm greenhouse. Remember that annuals are just tropicals in the wrong neighborhood. Popping them into the cold ground can cause a significant shock. More dangerous are the heavy rains we often experience here in Zones 6a tob throughout April and May. Those tiny upstarts can't swim yet, so sitting in a pool of accumulated precipitation just isn't condusive to good growth.
Besides, those early flats are typically overpriced. The best dealsbegin when the Michigan grown flats appear in May at Eastern Market (go after 2:00 pm for the best deals) or some of the local grower's greenhouse. Locally grown plants have a greater likelihood of thriving. Newer non-native favorites like Angelonia andCleome should wait untilmid June.
Block's Marketstand and Greenhouse isa personal favorite, but each gardener has theirown. Block's opens when the plants are good and ready, and not a moment before. A call to the greenhouse in mid April results in a recording informing the caller that "We will open around the end of April." It's worth the wait. The flowers are healthy,theselection endless,and the prices low.
Even if the plants are local, it's still best to "harden" them off. This takes only a couple days, and involves no more than setting them outduring the daylight hours, and bringing them inat dusk.They cansit in the garage at night.
No need to tuck them in.
Happy planting!
GO BLUE!
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