SALEM, Va. – When most people think of spring, they think of warmer weather and flowers. Now is the perfect time to start planning for this year’s gardening season.
One of the most important things when it comes to planting flowers is watching the weather. If you start too early, your flowers might not make it.
Mark Burton, with Pine Ridge Nursery in Salem, says if you need to scratch the planting itch, start with some seeds inside. You want to choose high-quality seeds and pay attention to the germination rates.
Burton says, “The best thing to do if you are going to plant a vegetable garden: turn the pack of seeds over, read the instructions for days to germination and apply that to your cold temperatures. Prepare your soil the best you can. Organic matter is always your friend in the clay soils that we have.”
Mark says when it comes to soil, you want to choose good topsoil to improve the drainage and to help that plant get rooted.
If you are wanting to get vegetable plants, you have to wait a little bit longer.
According to our weather team, the average last frost date is April 26, but it can happen as late as mid-May. Especially, if you live in higher elevations.
For flowers to start with, Mark recommends Pansies and Perennials. He says one plan that does well in the colder temperatures is also Hellebores plants. He has some in his yard and they have been blooming for about three weeks.
“Dig your hole twice as wide as the container, always plant everything a little bit shallow and have the top several inches of your root sticking out of the ground. You are generally going to add about two inches of mulch over the top of that. The proper planting for your environmental and solid conditions are imperative,” says Burton.
Pine Ridge Nursery says they have been busy this year. They have seen an influx of customers coming to prepare for spring. Their lots are full of plants and different flowers to meet everyone’s needs.