GROWING CONCERN: Relax before planting too early

LIKE THIS PAST The cold of the week was heavy in the valleys and the snow-covered trees lie at the bottom of the mountains, I couldn't help but be stunned seeing geraniums and marigolds being unloaded at a few outlets in the Northern Olympic Peninsula.

Then I realized that this was indeed America – a very capitalist country whose predominant goal was capturing market share. And flowers, while beautiful, are by no means immune to the vices of a quick and easy sale, even if they are inappropriate.

And make no mistake, it is absolutely inappropriate to plant geraniums, impatiens, marigolds, coleus, begonias, celosias, caladiums, balsams, zinnias, ageratums, antheriums, dahlias, gerberas, polygoniums, tomatoes, peppers, melons, cucumbers, squash, eggplants. , zucchini and squash now.

All of these plants need warm soil and air temperatures above 50 degrees to not only thrive, but also maintain their current health. So even two or three weeks from now is not a good time to plan for these types of flowers, no matter how beautiful or inexpensive they may be.

A good friend of mine loves to say “the first of June isn't too early,” and for these heat-desiring plants, that's a correct statement!

If I wait until June 3 to plant my dahlias, gerberus or geraniums, these plants will flower much faster than those planted in similar conditions during the first half of May. I have won many bets that my tomatoes planted on June 10 will produce tomatoes first and in greater quantities than those planted before June.

Cool temperatures “harden off” heat-hungry plants by turning them purple and woody, reducing new growth, bud production, fruit production and leaf growth.

You're left with a half-dead, stagnant plant with no buds or fruit until several weeks of 50 degrees or warmer soil persist – which means that by the end of July, these plants will finally come out of this unfavorable condition.

Unless you have a greenhouse or growing space, avoid planting them the following month.

If, however, you have a nice, sunny, warm growing area that is not already filled with pots of dahlias, cannas or caladiums, buy these items immediately when they are small and inexpensive. Place these plants in larger pots, pinch off all the flowers, remove the larger leaves, fertilize and that's it.

Remember, we are trying to grow large, beautiful plants for the garden in two months.

Flowers just steal energy, and we want a lot of it directed entirely toward more flowers and bud production. You have to spend flowers to make flowers.

There are now many plants, flowers, annuals and perennials that are perfect for today's outdoor masterpiece. Here too, caution is perhaps the best advice.

Many plants that could easily be purchased and planted today could very well be sensitive to our temperatures and weather conditions in very unfavorable ways.

Very few greenhouses grow their early spring plants in a space where they are exposed to direct sunlight or cool temperatures.

So even those lovely pansies you just purchased could very well get sunburned, windblown, or hardened outside tonight, having never been subjected to temperatures below 62 degrees in the evening and 70 degrees during the day.

In fact, many wholesale greenhouses deliberately raise nighttime temperatures, turn on grow lights all night, and inject fertilizer and CO2 in order to turn the bench faster, get product to market sooner, and harvest more big profits.

The trick at this time of year is to plan your plantings carefully.

This week, why not pick up some cabbage, kale, lettuce, kohlrabi, cauliflower, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts or onions?

Be sure to take a few days and acclimate them to the outdoors and sun, leaving them out an hour more each day, then, in a week, plant them.

Or treat yourself to that specimen tree, bush, shrub or rhododendron you've been wanting, and plant those items now while you're in the final moments of the ideal conditions opportunity.

And please… stay well everyone!

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Andrew May is a freelance writer and ornamental horticulturist who dreams of seeing Clallam and Jefferson counties recognized nationally as the “Floral Peninsula of the United States.” Send questions to him c/o Peninsula Daily News, PO Box 1330, Port Angeles, WA 98362, or email [email protected] (subject: Andrew May).