Planting Annuals in April

The garden centers are chock full of beautiful flats of annual flowering plants. Impatiens, petunias, begonias...it's a feast for the senses after a long winter's wait, isn't it? But the waiting isn't over...

The other day, I happened to stop by the garden center just at the right moment...the discount moment. You know what I mean. That magical day, time and place when the stars align and the plants not just 50% off, but 75% off. It's like Christmas in the spring!

So I scooped up two flats of annual flowers, impatiens and petunias, for 75% off. You can't beat that, right?

So why are they still waiting in their tiny little cell packs to be planted in my garden?

Because we aren't past the danger zone yet when it comes to temperature. That's right, the F-word: frost. Freeze. Frigid. Call it what you like, but there is still a danger of frost. Frost kills impatiens quickly, and nips petunias, although they can withstand a little chill.

I'm not taking any risks, so my treasures are waiting to be planted until around May 1. Our "frost free" date is anywhere from April 20 to May 15, depending on exactly where you live in the Piedmont region. From experience, I can say for sure that some years it is on the early side, some years on the later side, but in all cases, we are still in the "danger zone" when the flowers tempt us but the temperatures fool us.

The garden centers stock the flowers now so that you have great choices. If you do find a bargain as I did, or you simply can't resist stocking up, then do keep your plants in their pots for now. I whisk mine back into the warmth of the garage on these cold nights and return them to the warm, sunny front walk slates during the day. It's the best of both worlds for an impatien, and until I can be sure of constant warmth and sunshine for my treasures, they will remain as you see them here.

Some tender annuals that you should wait to plant include:

• Impatiens
• Coleus
• Ageratum
• Begonia
• All of your warm-weather veggies like tomatoes, peppers, etc.
• Most herbs, including basil.

Of course there are more plants on the list than this. But these are the most common ones, and those which I happened to spy on my trip to the garden center this week. If you're in doubt about whether you can plant something now, wait or look it up on the Virginia Cooperative Extension website.

Wait to plant most tender annuals. You'll be glad you did!

Can I Plant Vegetables Now?

The answer to the question, "Can I plant vegetables now?" depends on the vegetables you want to grow. The cooler spring temperatures often give way to 70+ degree days, which can fool you into thinking that spring is here to stay. Not in south central Virginia. Nature blows hot, cold, and everywhere in between in spring, and temperatures can rapidly drop below freezing again, killing all those tender flowers and vegetables you worked so hard to grow.

Lettuce and cool weather greens can be planted outside now.

So what's a gardener to do? The Virginia Cooperative Extension has created a wonderful Vegetable Planting Guide that you can use as a guide as to when to plant most vegetables. There's a chart you can customize and even information on which veggies grow best from seeds sowed directly into the garden and which are best grown as transplants. Check out the link above!

If you did make a mistake and plant those tender vegetables and flowers now and a frost looms, remember that you can cover them with cloth blankets, cardboard or newspaper overnight. Cloches, or little hot houses made from clean, empty soda or milk bottles, can also be placed over individual plants.

Garden centers often stock plants at this time of year that you really shouldn't place in the ground quite yet. They want to entice gardeners to spend more and to shop early and often. If you buy them now just to get your favorite varieties before they're sold out, you can keep them in pots or containers outside on a patio or deck. That way if a frost threatens, you can whisk them inside overnight to keep them safe and warm. Just remember to keep them well-watered or else you'll be making another trip to the garden center to replace them!

Protecting Plants from Frost

These past few weeks have brought us plentiful sunshine and unseasonably warm temperatures here in Central Virginia. I don't know about you, but I've been outside gardening! Cleaning out the perennial beds, getting a head start on the weeds, planting up the window boxes with cool season annual flowers...spring is definitely in the air.

Then along comes Mother Nature with...what? Snow showers? 39 degree temperatures and rain/snow in the forecast?

Welcome to spring in Central Virginia, where March can roar in like a lion, gambol about like a lamb, roar a bit more, then settle down into lamb-like softness.

For gardeners, the thought of another bout of snow, ice and cold temperatures can send us into a complete panic. What about the daffodils? The pansies? The lettuce?

Relax. For the most part, if you've followed the guidelines for our region and planted only cool-season or early spring annuals and vegetables, you're safe. If you feel you want to protect your plants a little bit more, here's what you can do:

• Before the storm or cold temperatures arrive, pull mulch back over newly emerging perennials that you think may be in danger from cold, frost or snow. 
• Cover tender plants with a cloth blanket, a sheet or newspaper. Do not use plastic. Plastic transfers cold rather than keeps it away from plants.
• Bring any pots or containers you can carry indoors for the day. One day in your garage or shed won't harm them.

Flowers such as daffodils and crocus can withstand a day of cold temperatures without problems. You may lose some flowers if it truly dips below freezing. You can cut the flowers and enjoy them indoors. Any newly emerging buds should be fine and the leaves will be fine. Pansies can withstand a day of chill just fine, and will spring back within a day or two as long as the temperatures rise above freezing after the initial storm has passed.

Upcoming Events for Gardeners in Prince Edward, Virginia

Local gardeners, take note: we've got some great events coming up for Prince Edward (and local) gardeners!

On March 14, 2016, the "Grow Your Own" series sponsored by the Virginia Cooperative Extension kicks off. From 5 to 7 p.m., experts will share tips on organic gardening and growing your favorite plants. This is a gardening series, with monthly gardening lectures all the way through November. There's a $5 fee or for $30, you can gain access to the entire series. For more information, please contact the Prince Edward Extension office at 434-392-4246.

The Heart of Virginia Master Gardeners offers many education programs throughout the year. Stay tuned for more great programs coming up this spring. Happy gardening!

Get Ready for the Hummingbird Migration!

Extension Master Gardeners shared a great post with a map on Facebook today sharing the hummingbird migration routes. Here in south central Virginia, we can expect our little feathered friends to return to the area sometime around April 10th. That date isn't set in stone, however. Depending on the weather and I assume the birds themselves, the migration may be a little later or earlier.

Coming soon to a garden near you!

Why do hummingbirds migrate? Hummingbirds sip nectar from flowers and yes, hummingbird feeders, to fuel their incredibly high metabolisms.

Here are a few facts gardeners might like to know about hummingbirds:

• Hummingbirds sip nectar from flowers, tree sap, and ingest tiny insects caught in nectar and sap.
• Their wings beat 80 times a minute. Because of their rapid heartbeat and other factors, they eat a very high sugar diet, and eat frequently, to get enough calories to survive.
• They can eat at a rate of 13 licks per second!
• A hummingbird's nest is the size of a walnut.
• Hummingbirds hover in place by moving their wings in a figure-8 patterns.

Plant Flowers to Support Hummingbird Migration

Planting flowers, shrubs and trees to help hummingbirds through their migration period as well as during breeding season and beyond is a great idea. Purdue's Cooperative Extension offers a free, downloadable fact sheet on how to attract and nurture hummingbirds in the garden.

You can plant several different species in your garden to help the hummingbirds. You don't have to create a special hummingbird garden. Simply work in a few shrubs and perennials among your existing plants to offer hummingbirds an enticement to stop and socialize.

Trees that appeal to hummingbirds include the Tulip Poplar, Ohio Buckeye and Horsechestnut trees.

Common rhododendron (purple) and azalea (white) attract hummingbirds.

Shrubs to attract hummingbirds:

• Rhododendron spp. (Common Rhododendron and Azaleas)
• Hibiscus moscheustos (Rose Mallow)
• Clethra spp. (Pepperbush)

Columbine attracts hummingbirds.

Perennials to attract hummingbirds include:

• Aquilegia canadensis (Columbine)
• Phlox spp. (Phlox)
• Monarda spp. (Bergamot, Bee-Balm)
• Lobelia cardinalas (Cardinal flower)

Vines:

• Campis radicans (Trumpet Creeper)
• Passiflora spp. (Passionflower)

Nectar bird feeders are, of course, a fun way to easily feed hummingbirds. But when you add plants to your garden to help hummingbirds, you also help other pollinators such as butterflies, bees and many other insects.

So here's to the return of spring...and the return of hummingbirds to the area. It's coming soon and spring is just around the corner!

Don't Forget the Birds in Your Garden!

Make sure to include bird feeding and bird watching in your list of wintertime gardening activities. It's a myth that if you start feeding the birds in your backyard, you'll make them dependent on humans for food.

During the mid to late winter, natural food sources dwindle. Birds must work harder and fly longer to find sources of food. That's why backyard bird feeding helps local bird populations. It provides food at a time of year when birds really need a helping hand.

A few tips from the University of Maine's Cooperative Extension website regarding feeding backyard birds...

• Choose different types of feeders if you plan to hang more than one. Tray feeders, like the one above, are great for birds who peck their seed from the ground. Tube feeders provide perches for smaller birds like finches and sparrows to find seed. Suet block feeders support insect-eaters like woodpeckers and flickers. A variety of feeders will help the most birds, but even one feeder is appreciated.
• Keep feeders clean. Make sure to scrub them thoroughly before you put them away for the season. A mild bleach and water solution can be used to disinfect them.
• Add a variety of seeds to tube and other seed feeders. Black oil sunflower seeds appeal to many species of birds. A songbird mix provides a wide variety of seeds.
• Grow your own! Next year, add a row of sunflowers to your garden. The seeds are enjoyed during the blooming season but you can also dry the seeds to add to feeders during the winter. You can even dry the flower heads on the stalk, then hang them upside down from the stem in a tree to feed birds.
• Keep squirrels from feeders by hanging feeders on a thin wire between two trees. Squirrels can jump up to 20 feet, but a thin wire makes it difficult for them to reach a feeder. Squirrel baffles, or plastic shelves above and below the feeder, can also challenge squirrels and deter them from enjoying a banquet at your feeder.
• Place meal worms out for those birds who need an insect treat now and again. You can just place them on a tray for the birds.
• Make your own feeder. Take a stale bagel, smear it with peanut butter, press it into seeds and hang it with a cord from a tree. Instant bird and yes, squirrel feeder.

These and other backyard birding tips may be found on the University of Maine Cooperative Extension website.

Seed Starting Tips

It's that time of year when the mail brings catalog after catalog of seeds, plants, and gardening tools. It's time to dream about the perfect garden, and to do a little planning to ensure you've got exactly the varieties you'd like in your garden. One great way to do this is to grow plants directly from seeds. If you're starting your garden from seeds and plan to grow seeds indoors, these tips may help you create a flourishing garden.

10 Seed Starting Tips

1. Plan your garden out on paper so that you know what you'd like to plant and where you will plant it before purchasing seeds. It's tempting to buy too many seeds during winter when you're yearning to get outside and garden.
2. Decide which plants are more economical to buy from your local garden center and which are best started from seeds. If you need just one plant, for example, it may be better to buy a single plant at your favorite nursery than purchasing seeds.
3. Stock up on seeds you will use throughout the growing season. This includes lettuce, which may be planted in the spring as well as in the fall, and other seeds that may be difficult to find in the summer months.
4. Check your grow lights or seed starting lights if you're starting seeds indoors. Replace burned-out bulbs and clean the unit.
5. Purchase a timer so that your seed starting lights go on and off automatically. This way, you'll never forget to turn on the lights!
6. Sterilize all of your seed starting equipment before planting seeds. You can sterilize plastic pots, trays and containers using a solutions of 9 parts water to 1 part household bleach. Mix the solution and soak the plastic containers for 10 minutes. Rinse, dry, and use.
7. Heat is important for germination of many common flowers and vegetables. Check the back of the seed package to see what the preferred temperature is for germination. Purchase and use ONLY specially made seed-starting heat mats. These are intended to be used under seed starting trays. Don't try to make them yourself - you could start a fire.
8. Read the back of the seed package to determine when to plant seeds indoors. The back of the seed package provides plenty of information include how to plant the seeds, days to germination, and more.
9. Make labels for your pots or containers from clean popsicle sticks, cut up slats of old Venetian blinds, or any strips of wood or plastic you'd like to recycle.
10. Test seed viability for any opened seed packages you may have stored from previous years. Place 10 seeds between moist paper towels in a sealed plastic bag. Place the bag in a warm location such as on top of your refrigerator and wait a week. Check daily. The number that germinates gives you the percent of viable seeds in an open seed package. This gives you a good idea if you need to buy more or not this year.

Happy gardening!