Too Soon To Plant Perennials? | Tip of the Week
Unfortunately for all of us who want to get outdoors and start planting, it’s really too soon to plant perennials and to expect them to survive the recent snows and possible hard freezes ahead.
Here’s what you need to know if you have bought plants already:
- Because these perennials have been in cold storage all winter, they have been kept dormant. But bringing them inside the store where it’s warm has forced them to break dormancy – and they will start to bud. If planted outside now, these buds will likely freeze – and depending on the temps, the roots may freeze as well. Protecting them with coverings like a wall of water or other material won’t work in a hard freeze.
- The best plan is to get these plants into pots so that the roots can begin developing and you can water them to keep the roots moist. Keep plants in a cool place indoors.
- On warm days, start setting the plants outdoors so they can begin to harden off – but move them indoors at night to prevent frost/freeze damage. When night-time temps are consistently above 28 degrees and the soil is workable, they can be planted.
- After planting outdoors, protect them just like you would protect annuals from frost or freeze damage whenever the forecast predicts frost/freezing temps. Monitor the weather and get plants in the garden when the conditions are comfortable for them.