Too early to plant?

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segurry Cambridge, MA Apr 23, 2010

Hi all,

It's April 23 here in Eastern Massachusetts...I've turned over the earth, replaced topsoil with composted manure and topsoil, pulled up and dug up old weeds...now my question is, is it too soon to plant? I have daylily bulbs, some new perennials in pot waiting, and plants I removed from my old garden now sitting in pots waiting to be re-landscaped in my new garden...are we going to get another frost?

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ecrane3 Dublin, CA(Zone 9a) Apr 23, 2010

If you're not past your last frost date then you certainly could get another frost. But if you're close to your last frost date and your plants are all reliably hardy in your zone, have been living outdoors and are hardened off to outdoor temperatures, and if you're ready to drag out a sheet/blanket or two if you do get a late cold snap then you could probably get away with planting things now.

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KaylyRed Watertown, WI(Zone 5a) Apr 23, 2010

My take on spring planting tends to be the same as ecrane's--I push the boundaries a little. Our last frost date is around May 15, but I almost always have perennials planted a week or two before that, and I'm ready with sheets or frost blankets just in case. Haven't lost anything yet, including tender young hostas (although I tend not to push things with the more expensive hostas).

Is it best to wait until your last frost date to plant? It's certainly safest. It's easier to move perennials into a sheltered location sometimes than it is to cover them up and hope the frost doesn't nip them. Keep an eye on your 10-day forecast, though, and if the trend seems warm I'd say go for it.

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dividedsky Indianapolis, IN(Zone 5b) Apr 23, 2010

Handy tool for finding out what your last frost date is: http://davesgarden.com/guides/freeze-frost-dates/

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pennefeather McLean, VA(Zone 6b) Apr 23, 2010

I have a different take on things. I think that you can plant perennials earlier than the last frost day. Annuals should definitely wait. I have divided and replanted my perennials a few weeks ago. Perennials in your garden are already used to your weather and shouldn't be a problem. For new perennials, you should probably allow them to harden off first since they were probably grown in either a greenhouse or warmer climate.

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Jim41 Delhi, LA Apr 24, 2010

If you decide to plant now and catch a frost, beat the sun up and wash the plants down with water. It will keep the frost from hurting the plant. Works on tomatoes so I don't see why it won't work on other plants as well.

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