“Start planting outside, not until after Mother’s Day”!
By Pamela Loring, SLC Office Staff
Truth or Wives Tale?
Did you ever hear this from your Grandparents or Parents? Do not, Start planting outside, not until after Mother’s Day! I know I have. This bit of advice has been passed down from generation to generation. So, is there any truth to it? If you look at our crazy Utah weather, you’ll know that if you don’t like our weather, just wait 5 minutes and it’ll change. This year, we started spring way back in February. Several days were in the 60’s and 70’s. The same goes for March. We broke out our shorts and sandals, ready for summer. But, then April and May came along and we are back to cold, sometimes freezing rain and snow. That freezing rain and snow is not a friend to new plants we buy. Did you know that most of the plants we buy from the local nurseries are grown in states with much warmer weather than ours? There are a few local nurseries that supply our garden centers, but even then, the plants are grown in greenhouses. It’s the greenhouse and out of state grown plants that get shocked by our weather extremes. The tender plants suffer terribly in temperatures below 40 degrees. The good news is, these weather extremes that damage our tender friends, seem to even out after Mother’s Day. Or, at least, became less frequent and less extreme. We were in a bit of shock with the extremes, so imagine the shock to the fragile plants. Talk about frost bite.
Not until after Mother’s Day”!
So, if you can’t resist buying these beautiful and tempting plants that are in bloom and screaming “Buy Me!”, then be prepared to either bring them into protected areas or cover them up at night. What do I cover them up with, you ask. Newspaper, old sheets, garbage bags, or tarps. It doesn’t really matter, so long as you can keep them in place. And, the cover is not heavy enough to damage the plant. To answer the question, our parents and grandparents have a good point. Resist the urge to plant until after Mother’s Day.